Celebrating Rosie’s One Year Old Birthday
We are merry and our hearts are full from celebrating Rosie’s one year old birthday. We’re soaring on nostalgia and thankful hearts as we reminisce and see how far she (and we) has come. Last week we wrote a letter expressing these emotions to her. If you know me, you know that I love to draw out a celebration for as long as I could rather than have one extravagant one. So here are a few highlights of her birthday week!
Family Birthday Brunch & Photoshoot
We went out for dim sum on Saturday morning with my side of the family. It’s rare for my parents to have time off from church ministry so we enjoyed our family time celebrating Rosie. Afterwards, we went to Richmond Water Park, a gorgeous park in Richmond Hill with a totally amazing splash pad. George and I fantasize about having a big family, and hauling all our kids over while we relax in the shade. Everyone has something fun to do here!
After Rosie’s afternoon nap, the three of us made our way to Huntington Park to 1. Scout out the park to make sure it was appropriate for her birthday party next weekend and 2. Take some pretty pictures for memories sake (and for mama’s social media pursuits).
I bought Rosie a princess dress from Indigo that I had my eye on for a while. I DIYed her floral crown with a few things from the dollar store (you can do anything with a glue gun!). The day was a bit too full so Rosie didn’t really feel like smiling for the photos. That’s okay, we worked with what we had. We had fun and the added bonus was to have captured some memories.
IKEA
On Tuesday, we went to Ikea for dinner and to buy Rosie a birthday gift! George and I started going to IKEA for dinner since I was pregnant (as a sort of guilty pleasure) and continued to during Rosie’s time in the NICU (it was walkable distance from the hospital!). So it seemed fitting to go back after all these months. We had fun walking around and playing in the children’s corner. I adore IKEA toys! In fact I seem to have a strong liking to Swedish children’s products in general. We finally decided to purchase a circus tent as a gift. It’s a winner because even after a week she is still a fan!
The Cake Smash
On Rosie’s actual birthday, we celebrated with a cake smash! If you know me, you’d know I love everything feminine, pretty and pink. So with some Pinterest inspiration, I put together this set up. All I needed was some DIY paper flowers, a white sheet from the dollar store, and a birthday cake! I am still fawning over this cake from our favourite bakery Le Delice. It’s where we got our wedding cake too.
Rosie was so ready to dig in. She actually got her hands on a flower before we gave her the cake. Of course she had to put it in her mouth and was ecstatic when it tasted sweet (from the icing). So the girl knew she was in store for something good. Look at the progression.
It was a special celebration with just the three of us. It was fun. It was delicious. And thank goodness the mess was manageable (spoiler: the dress was not ruined – after a rinse, it came out brand new).
Rosie’s Day At The Park
Finally, on Saturday we threw Rosie a birthday bash at Huntington Park with our friends! I was a bit nervous leading up to the day because I titled the Facebook event Fun in the Sun with Rosie but the weather network had been forecasting a thunderstorm throughout the week. On the day of, there was no sun BUT the weather was perfect. The rain held out until late afternoon and the party was over by then anyway. Praise God!
We had a potluck and hung out with our friends on the grass. It was plain and simple but our hearts were full. As new parents, it is rare to have time to simply hang out with friends. On top of that, Rosie is lucky to have uncles and aunties who spoil her!
So there you have it – Rosie’s week-long birthday celebration was awesome. This chapter is closed and now we start a new journey into the world of toddlerhood. I am a mix of excited and terrified. Wish us luck!
