Annie's Ladybug Party!

Annie's Ladybug Party was a great big hit! : ) Even though I suspect that Annie didn't know what was going on, she really had a blast! The party lasted from 12:30 (or I guess most people got there at 1, which surprised me) until 3 in order to come directly between Annie's naps (but as you'll see, was right during Declan's). I suspect that Annie's favorite parts were the Hokey Pokey (seen above) and the book-reading, but there wasn't a part of the party that she didn't like. : )
We played in the family room until all of the children got there, and then we started the fun activities with the Hokey Pokey! Boy was it a challenge to create games for both one-year-olds and four-year-olds! (By the way, the best purchase I ever made was the huge birthday cake card-holder hanging in the window and the hang-up "Happy Birthday" sign out on the porch, . . . automatic free and permanent decorations every single year!)
Next, I gave out Ladybug (and other assorted bug) finger puppets, and everyone danced and interacted to "Doodlebugs" (by Laurie Berkner, . . . Can you believe how much we're REALLY using that new CD, Laura?) and "The Ladybug Picnic" (from the Sesame Street of my youth, . . . which I could tell absolutely delighted Jessica's/Declan's Mom). Check out Delcan sleeping like a log on the window seat! We couldn't believe he could still take his nap with all of the commotion!
Next was a game called "Find the Ladybug." I had hidden wind-up ladybugs all around the room, and each big sister had to help their younger sibling find one. Here's Annie desperately trying to show everyone that she found hers. : )

Then we read a special book that Karin Faulkner and Kevin gave Annie a few days ago for her birthday: Ten Little Ladybugs. It was perfect for a quiet activity for the party because the pictures are colorful and the older kids could help me count! Look at how absolutely captivated Annie is by this book! Thanks again, Karin and Kevin!

Here's everyone nicely listening to the book, which presents a good opportunity to name the guests. Declan is the one sleeping in the window seat (ha!). Hollis is holding her daughter Jessica. Then there's Miss Laurie, Trevor, and Logan. You can see Leia there (and Annie) as well as Amelia. Robert, Amelia's 11-month-old brother is sitting on her Mamma Karen's lap in the arm chair. It's incredibly fortuitous that Annie's two friends her own age (Declan and Robert, . . . who were Annie's true invited guests) just happen to have sisters exactly Leia's age! Is that a blessing, or what?!? Miss Laurie, of course, is Annie's Godmother (and Trevor and Logan are friends with everyone). A nice, small party for a teeny, tiny girl. : )

There aren't any pictures of the next game, but I can just tell you about it. It was called "Catch the Ladybug," and it was the only game just for the one-year-olds. (Oh how I wish Declan could have participated, too. Such a sleepyhead!) Basically, I took Annie's ladybug that she had just found (it was actually the one that has always enticed her, that goes round and round in circles), wound it up, sat the babies around it, and told them to catch the ladybug. The older children were instructed to cheer on the baby of their choice. And guess who caught it? Robert! So he won the one ladybug prize of the day!

Then we adjourned to the porch to color some special fuzzy Ladybug coloring cards. (Annie has always been fascinated with the way things feel, . . . like the smooth/rough game, . . . so this was a perfect activity!)

Cake number two. . .

Annie received some nice gifts! The one that wowed and zowed everyone (including Annie) was a pull toy of an ant carrying an egg, . . . and the egg rolls end over end as you pull it! (See more recent posts.) Such a quality toy! That was from Declan and Family. Robert and Family gave Annie a really neat soft ball. Miss Laurie and Family gave Annie a beautiful Christmas Ornament from the Holy Land (wow!) and a Tubby Time bath CD. . . . And then there was a stuffed Ladybug from Leia. (Leia's gift has a cute story behind it. The little plush ladybug that was Leia's gift to Annie was really her own that she got at her own one-year-old birthday party, . . . it was the ladybug she found during the "Find the Ladybug" game! I was trying to get Leia to let me give it out as the prize for "Catch the Ladybug," but she insisted that she wanted it to be a present. What a sweet girl!
Opening Robert's gift . . .
Opening Godmommy's gift . . .
Then we headed outside with some ladybug bubble-blowers, . . . and the Barbie Jeep to let everyone take a ride.
. . . But it was Delcan Oberlies (yes, he finally woke up!) who couldn't get enough of this car! Every time poor Hollis tried to pull him away, he would cry as if the world would end! : ) Hollis said that holding the phone in his hand like this made him feel like he was helping to control the car and that, boy, was Declan going to love go-carting when he gets older! You bet! And, yes, I'm happy to say that he got lots of rides! Come on back over, Declan. You can ride any time you'd like! : )

Happy Birthday Annie! Now you have some special memories of this special day! (And as for Mamma, . . . one down, . . . one to go! Whew!)