Bug's Party

Grab some coffee and get comfy...this might take a while! Also, I apologize for errors, or repeating myself....not much time to proof read with a Bug running around and a house to clean!

Bug's fever stayed around 101 Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. He had his 12 month appointment on Thursday, so I figured I'd mention it to his doctor then if it didn't go away. Wednesday night I was sitting on the couch with him and tickling him. He threw his mouth open and his whole little throat was bright red. The first thing I thought of was Strep. I quickly grabbed him a bottle and threw on my muck boots and ran out the door to Urgent Care. If he had Strep I wanted to get him on antibiotics right away, and I would need to cancel his birthday party.

Long story short, after a short wrestling session, we were able to swab his throat and the test came back negative. It did turn out that he had an ear infection. His third. This also earned us a referral to the ENT. Lucky, lucky us!

After two doses of antibiotics though, my happy guy was back and the fever was gone. He weighed 23.8 pounds and is 30 3/4 inches tall (82nd %tile.) His head stays at a solid 98th %tile. He's not talking yet, but babbling and the doctor isn't worried.

On Saturday we had his 1st birthday party! I spent the week trying to figure out how to pull off a "pond theme" and think I did a pretty good job. Luckily I found large green plates at Fred Meyer that reminded me of lily pads, so at least I had that and went with it. My poor husband. I decided I wanted to make a frog for the top of his smash cake, and then chocolate lily pads for the tops of the cupcakes (more on that later.)

Let me start by saying that I am the queen of procrastination. Usually I wait until the last second, but since the Bug I have started to plan things out a bit more. It's not possible to do everything at the last second, so I made the Frog on Tuesday, and what I thought would take 10 minutes took almost two hours. The molding (pre-made) took FOREVER to kneed. I guess that's the downfall of picking something up at the store that isn't used a lot. Either that or it is suppose to be a solid brick....

ANYWAY another friend of mine helped me with dying the chocolate green and gave me great advice on how to free mold the lily pads. I made those on Wednesday, and forgot to put them in the fridge...that meant when I went to put the on the cupcakes on Friday 1/3 of them were ruined. Opps! Lesson learned! She told me to put them in the fridge and poof.....just forgot!

Thursday Bug and I ran around for some final things for his party...and to get some stuff for his dad's surprise party. Last year my hubby got the shaft because we were just home from the hospital, I felt "wonderful" <-sarcasm and just didn't.

Friday I started watching my friends infant. (Side note: Bug will be an only child.) He's so sweet, but I do NOT KNOW how people have babies close together. After his momma picked him up Bug and I went on our ninja shopping trip to get supplies for his party AND his dad's party. He was a very good helper and we got home right before his dad.

Saturday morning, hubby went fishing with a friend while Bug and I got his cake finished, and the party set up.


So a photo montage of party decorations

I ruined 1/2 the lily pads so I decided on Salmon swimming...

Bug's BFF can't have eggs. I made a recipe that I found online, and it was DELICIOUS. Egg free and dairy free, it tasted like Oreos. YUMMY. I used this recipe for the vanilla cupcakes and this recipe for the egg free. Sadly, the frosting didn't turn out how I wanted it to. I didn't put enough sugar into it, but it was 11pm when I was icing them, and I figured I was covering them with a lily pad, SO it didn't really matter. Look at me! Not being anal! See how much I've grown?! I will say WHEN I follow directions, this frosting is A. Easy and B. Amazing (but add some creme of tartar to get it to keep its shape....if that makes any sense.)

Since I ruined 1/2 the lily pads, I needed to figure out what to do with the other cupcakes. Salmon and "bubbles" (aka blue Sixlets.) I think it turned out pretty cute! AND yes! I do understand that Frog's eat Bugs! Lol. We called Bug, Frog-man when he was tiny-tiny because of how he'd hold his legs. I also want to give credit for the lily pad idea. I got it from here.

Dirt Cups, which I forced everyone to eat. I'm such a nice host! 

Before everyone got to the house, and after daddy got home from fishing, we took Bug's final month photo. He's been sick all week and I wanted him to look happy. He's such a cutie.

Happy Birthday Buddy!! We love you! 

The party was perfect! Bug destroyed his cake. I laughed Friday night as I was icing it. SO much time for something that he was going to destroy. He did eat some of it, but we took it away before he had too much.
We have some amazing friends in Fairbanks. We are very lucky. It was the perfect day. There was nothing I would change about it.

Bug's friends left around 3:30, and I had planned for hubby's dinner party to start at 6. I had told Bug that morning that it was his job to distract his dad in the afternoon. I had NOT clue how I was going to get the squash all cute up, the asparagus cleaned and cut, the steaks to room temp, the potatoes baked, etc. without making him suspicious. I figured that I would just tell him.

BUT, around 4 hubby and the Bug took a nap together....for 2 hours! I had everything done, and his friends showed up JUST as they woke up! It was perfect!

He deserves perfect. He's a great guy!

Parties were successful!

Flour less chocolate cake with dark chocolate mousse and ganache....may look weird, but was pretty tasty!