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I've started planning Jake's first birthday.  It's just a few weeks away.  I will have a one year old in just a few weeks.  I'd say that I can't believe it, but I can- I have had a year chalk full of great memories and growing experiences.  It also helps that I have a lil boy making his way around here every day-not a baby, a lil boy.  He has definite opinions and he's NOT afraid to share them haha.  Just today I was looking at him and his ease at getting around and getting what he wants, how he's becoming more vocal (a lil too vocal if you ask me-church is getting hard), and he even has his own sense of humor.  I feel like he should be older than one with how much he has grown and developed.  He crawls, pulls himself up to stand against things, even takes a few steps with his lil walker thing, and has ridiculous focus, as well as the warmest smile that you'll ever see-it's infectious.  I dare anyone to not smile in response-I've seen the crankiest/bahumbug men crack under his wide grin.

I had a hard time picking a "theme".  Mainly because he's one.  Sure he likes toys etc, but not one over the next.  He likes the first 15 min of any movie equally, so I felt fake picking a theme that he doesn't really like like monsters inc etc. just cause I think it'd be cute.  Then I thought how he truly loves books.  When I pick up a book and open it this HUGE smile breaks across his face and he starts panting out of excitement, and 90% of the time he actually sits through it and gets mad when it's done. It's usually me who ends our story time cause I've read through all of our books 2-3 times.  So I considered doing a "book theme" and just use different things like the hungry caterpillar etc for decor/cakes....but if I do that I'd rather wait to do it when Jake can appreciate it.  Let's face it-it'll be a couple years before Jake truly gets what's going on, so why not have a party that the attendees can enjoy more?

Jake likes playing in the water and what kid doesn't?  It'll be the end of July after all, so we're having a summer/splash themed party.  We'll fire up the ol' grill and have different water activities for any of the kids of our friends who come and just have a fun laid back afternoon.  I found a cute idea on pinterest- cupcake ice cream cones which goes along with a summer theme quite nicely.  We can let the kids pick toppings to put on their individual "cones".  I'm not going to lie-I'm pretty excited for Jake's big day!  I really think I should have been a party planner in another life-I get way too much enjoyment out of sticking to a theme/going all out.

My big boy!

yeah...that's some of his "opinion" sharing right there: 

(fun fact: jake has the most adorable smile and the most heart-breaking cry/pouty face.  I swear, if there are women in a 8 foot radius of this kid when he unleashes his pout there is always a collective gasp and "awwwww"  it makes it hard for me to resist as well)

the loves of my life: