Happy Birthday, Delia (Finally!)

Tonight we finally had opportunity to celebrate Delia. We threw her a first birthday bash that was hugely successful. The party was perfectly set at church and carried a "Party Animal!" theme. Our first activity was a jungle obstacle course (we told all our kid guests to bring their bikes for parking lot games and races). Dave designed this fun game that had kids snaking through pillars, pedaling through rain forests, bat caves and a whale's spout, then grabbing bananas from this tree like monkeys. So much fun! The fastest riders were rewarded with boxes of animal crackers. The kids went back to playing on this course for a straight hour before leaving!

On your mark, get set, GO!

Next, I took over by directing an animal craft. The kids decorated these wooden stand-up puppets in their choice of lion, zebra, monkey, giraffe or cheetah.

After a dinner of pizza, green garden salad and fruit salad, we busted out the cake-- GIANT cupcakes. After the singing and blowing out of the number one candle, we were amused by watching Delia literally dive into her chocolate cupcake. She did just as she was supposed to-- smearing frosting all over herself in a combination of glee and confusion.

Then the present opening frenzy began. Each kid "helped" open the gift they brought and we came home with new outfits, jammies, little vehicles, a fridge magnet game, an Usborne farm book and some money for the piggy bank...so generous!

The best part of the afternoon was just the opportunity to celebrate the joy Delia has brought into our lives with the friends we love most.