ROSE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY

THE BEST ATTEMPT AT A GREAT BIRTHDAY PARTY YOU HAVE EVER SEEN ...

Well... where do I start???  The party was a success, and I really think that all the kids had fun.  However, the odds were definitely not stacked in my favor for the big birthday bash.  Rose woke up having a major meltdown and cried for a straight hour.  The church was double booked with a Methodist Men's Conference and a district meeting so we had to move the party outside, to which we woke up to dark skies and rain.  A bad dirty diaper and a church clothes change led to us being late for Samuel's Senior Send - Off at the Church, which in turn led to another major meltdown, at which point we missed church completely.  Then, we finally got to the church to set up and were locked out.  At 1:10pm (for a party that starts in 20 min) we had the glorious opportunity of actually setting up for the "well planned" party.... to which I then realized we had bought everything EXCEPT the actual ice cream, and I sent Mark on a shopping SPREE (literally) to buy the ice cream and Phyllis to buy my forgotten plates.  I really in truly had put my heart and soul into this birthday party (even tho I know that is really hard to believe).  I ordered things off Etsy starting at Christmas.  I had invitations hand designed and painted.  I cut and pasted, glued and printed, all of the signs, banners, decor, etc...  The "lemonade stand" was hand painted, by me might I add, (both of them - even tho only one made it out of the Tahoe).  I ordered an Ice Cream Toss Bean Bag Throw - which never made it to the party...  Half of my decorations stayed in the car because we were so rushed for time to set up.  Rose had another dirty diaper that I had to handle (in my 20 min of set up time).  I never got one single picture of the ice cream buffet and my partially done decorations.  I was so upset by this point I was the one having a major meltdown and crying.  I did good to try to hold back my emotions until after the party - then I just lost it.  My baby girl turned one and I couldn't even throw her the best first birthday party ever imagined....  (insert sob here).  BUT...  everyone said the party was fun - we had a great turn out - she got lots of new toys - all the kids love "baby Rose" - and I at least tried.  I'm getting over it... slowly...  but sadly...  It was a great party - just did not meet Rose's mother's expectations.... 

I wish I had pictures of the actual set up... and Im so disappointed that I dont...  but I tried ...