Adventures with the Ratcliff Family: The Birthday Celebration

Serena's 1st birthday was really great. We had a hectic and tiring day, but it was all worth it. The birthday girl woke up around 8am and ate her breakfast. We had a busy morning with Calli's first soccer game of the season at 9am. We dressed Serena in her special Birthday Girl dress and Calli in her dark purple soccer uniform and set off for the YMCA. Calli did so well in her game, scoring a hat trick (three goals)! She had a lot of fun and looks forward to her practices and games each week. Next weekend she will have a break though because of Easter.

After the game was over we came home so she could get a quick bath and change clothes. Then we made our way to Red Robin for an early lunch. It is a birthday tradition in our house that started for Calli's first birthday and has just continued ever since. The waiters brought out an ice cream sundae for her and sang happy birthday. I was a little worried she might get scared, but she did really well, just looking at everyone around her. We gave her a taste of the ice cream and she didn't want anything to do with it. For some reason ice cream is just not her thing!
After lunch it was time to go home so the birthday girl could get a birthday nap before her party at 3pm. Richard took Calli to the store to get the ice cream I forgot to buy the day before. This gave me a chance to get the house clean and I quickly cleaned the bathroom, mopped the kitchen, cleaned the counters, and picked up the house. I wrapped Serena's birthday presents and then set up the decorations. By 2:30pm everything was ready to go for the party! We had a ton of kids in the house and lots of wonderful friends to share our daughter's special day.

Everyone helped her open her many gifts and sang happy birthday to her when it was cake time. I cut the first piece of cake for her and placed it on her tray, not knowing what to expect since she hasn't seemed to enjoy sweets very much. She tentatively stuck her finger in it and tried a few bites before demolishing it and crying for more. Needless to say, she was a mess! I was sad to see the cake go, as I had spent 2.5 hours decorating it the night before. It was 11pm before I headed to bed and my back was killing me and my fingers were sore from squeezing the icing tubes. It was worth it though, as I was proud of the way the cake turned out. But it was also gone in mere seconds as everyone enjoyed it.

Serena had a great party and really enjoyed all her presents. We got her a new ride on toy, a Winnie the Pooh one, because her and Calli fight over the princess one Calli has. I figured they would fight over this new one for awhile, but eventually maybe learn that there are two and they can each have one. Calli got a little tea set for her sister, but then (in true Calli fashion) decided she wanted to play with it herself. From Grandma Molly and Grandpa Bob she received her very own SERENA doll, which I think is so cool. How many kids can say that they have a doll that shares their name? Grandma Keri, Grandpa James, Auntie Allison and Auntie Brittany sent cute dresses and fun books to read. She also received wonderful gifts from great-grandparents and friends and is a very spoiled little girl. She received two dolls and spent the rest of her day carrying around one or the other. I think she will be very into playing with dolls as she gets older.

After all our friends left we were exhausted. Luckily there wasn't much clean up because the kids had helped clean the toys before they left. We just had to toss the paper plates, cups and silverware and that was about it. Some of the decorations are still up in the kitchen and I can't bear to take them down yet. Her birthday is really and truly over and it is so bittersweet. Now we have a one-year-old who is no longer a baby, but a toddler, walking and learning to talk. She is so cute and sweet, the light of our lives and brings us so much joy and smiles. Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Good morning Birthday Girl! Serena got to wear her special new birthday dress, isn't it adorable?