PARTY!

Tonight was Marley's birthday party! As I mentioned before, I really don't love hosting parties. And I will admit that this party was a little stressful, but I wouldn't change it for anything. There were a few awkward situations like I feared, but I really felt like every one could handle it. No matter who had come, there would have been a little awkward going on. So, with 25 people, I think it went well! We were a little low on space and chairs, but definitely in better shape then we would have been in our apartment. Waiting for guests to arrive.

Daddy decorating Marley's personal cake.

I had it in my head that I was going to make her this perfect cake. I don't know where I got that idea since I have never really decorated a cake, so I wasn't as great as I had planned. But, I love it. Asa took over and made it really cute!

Relaxing with Aunt Emily before the guests arrive.

Practicing the little decorative horns. She loved them, but could only suck on them, not blow.

Let the party begin! As I mentioned before, we had tons of people! I put my sister in charge of taking pictures, since Asa and I were cooking. She took almost 400 pictures in the two hour span of the party! She's a girl after my own heart!

Grandma Donna and Great Grandma Shirley.Papa and Mimi and Marley.

Trying pink lemonade for the first time! It was sour!

Marley's Mimi and my Mimi and Marley. That's confusing!

Look, she found some one to walk her around! She kept holding the side of her dress up like that too, like a little lady.

She got started without me! We had to wait for every one to get there, but Marley was getting impatient.

She got two little dolls and she loves them. I really don't want her to love Barbies, but sweet little dolls like this will hopefulyl continue to be a hit. She also got a stroller for each one!

She was great at keeping every one interested during the presents. She even played peek-a-boo with the clothes. And she got tons of beautiful clothes! I can't wait to put her in all of them! She is going to be so fashionable.

Her Grandma, Asa's mom, hand made her four adorable dresses! I can't wait for her to wear them.

Ok, I know this totally looks like some thing that should be at a little boy's birthday party, but I love it! It balances out all the super girlie stuff she got, and obviously she enjoyed it too!

Already being naughty: driving and texting.

After the presents were all opened, it was time for cake. I had this idea in my mind that she was going to be like all the other one year olds I had heard about, who tear into their cake, shove it in their mouth, and rub it all over their faces. I actually fell asleep in my cake at my first birthday. Marley, not so much. She touched it, licked her fingers, and I think she liked it. But, she was not enthusiastic. She kept looking at us like she wasn't supposed to do it, and then she just got mad and started crying.

I was disappointed at first. I wanted it to be this big deal, and she didn't even want to touch it. But the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated it. She is her own person, and why did I need her to be like the other babies. She may not like cake. And it says a lot about her personality. She is going to be cautious and maybe a little nervous about new things. And that is perfectly fine, I'm the same way (just not about cake). It was sweet and girly and perfect. We are going to try again next week on her actual birthday to see if she likes it then, but i won't be upset if she doesn't. I liked her being different.

So, we got her naked and cleaned up and then she was having fun. The majority of people left and she was much more comfortable with the smaller group. She actually played with her toys and laughed and had a good time.

She loved taking the pieces out of the puzzle my Mimi got her. Mimi would put them in and Marley would pull them out, squealing and laughing. She knew where they went back, but she couldn't quite get them in the slot.One of the biggest hits of the night was the Princess cell phone that Jenna got her. She held that thing up to her ear for ten minutes.

My mom and Joel got her a shopping cart with some vegetables that go in it. She really liked pulling things in and out of it, and her new dolls fit perfectly in the seat in front.Here she is, shopping with her baby and talking on the phone! Classic.

I have to say that with our next child, I will do things a little differently for the first birthday. She was overwhelmed with the amount of people that were there, so I will probably make it a smaller event next time. I felt like I needed to be entertaining every one and I didn't want them to be bored. I regret rushing though the presents, because she got a little upset about that. But I was a little stressed. It was kind of like at a wedding where you invite all these people but you are too busy running around to actually talk to them. So, when people were leaving i felt like I hadn't even said a word to them. I feel like that makes me ungrateful, but I really am grateful for every thing and every one who came. I hope every one knows that.

Overall, it was a success. Even with the stress, I loved it. It was her first birthday party! I didn't cry, but next Friday I probably will. At 9:03 pm, I will kissing Marley's forehead and crying about how fast life goes by. But tonight was the night to celebrate! I am so excited for what's to come and i am so proud of what has happened so far!