HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KOLTON! (Well, last week)

**sigh** We had a completely amazing week last week and I couldn't blog any of it because I kept getting kicked out when I would try to publish it! So, finally, it is working again (they assure me) so now I can post about Kolton's 1st birthday! He turned one last Wednesday (Feb 18) and it was kind of a weird day for me. I didn't expect to feel so emotional! Last year when he was born it was a bittersweet day for us. It was so hard to see the trials Kolton's birthmom had to go through and our hearts just ached for her so much while they were also overfilled with excitement and happiness at finally becoming parents. For some reason, all those emotions came flooding back on Wednesday and I just had to have a good cry. (Thanks for being my shoulder to cry on, Wes!). I cannot believe one person can feel so much. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, happiness, sadness, and nostalgia all at the same time. Let it be said that I was SO thankful we decided not to have a family party until Friday when I was much more in a partying mood. However, on Wednesday we still had a blast taking Kolton to the McDonalds play place for the first time (he was too scared to go past the stairs, but it was a start!) and he ate his weight in chicken nuggets. He loved looking at the play place and kept saying 'ooooh!'- here's a video of this cuteness:






And let's not forget the nuggets:


The stairs:

And FINALLY! A picture showing his cute little teeth~


Wes and I had a 'homemade' theme this year and I made Kolton a doggie using the fabric from the first thing Wes and I bought together as a married couple on our wedding day- a pair of flannel pajamas!

Wes made Kolton's day by making him some wooden blocks. I took the liberty of decorating a few (picture to follow- I must have deleted it) - Heaven help me, I just can't stop making stuff!!! I SO need spring to be here! Wes's parents also made Kolton a quilt covered in animals drawn by Eric Carle, whom we adore.

Friday was way more for my benefit than Kolton's, I think! I know he won't remember it, but I got some great pictures for him to look back on. We had a dinosaur theme in honor of Vernal, where he was born, because they have a huge dinosaur museum there. I went a little nuts with gift bags and a pinata, and I even attempted a Stegosaurus cake (thanks for the pattern, Marissa!) but by the time I had baked the cakes, and the sugar cookie spikes, and boiled down my soup for three hours, my kitchen was completely sweltering and the frosting just melted when I tried to put it on- even though I had just taken it out of the fridge! So, lesson learned- decorate the cake the day before or just do it outside! All in all, it was recognizable, but I wasn't a bit sad to cut off the head and give it to Kolton.

These were the table decorations:

...and the cake...

And finally- here is a short video of him eating his cake and some pinata and gift pictures!

It was really a dream come true for me. He is such an incredible little guy and I cannot believe how quickly this first year has gone!