Ollie is officially 1 year old! I truly cannot believe how quickly the year has gone. One year ago, we were still in the hospital following my emergency c-section, so it’s amazing to look back and see how far we’ve come as a family: Sleepless nights have become full nights of sleep, the challenges of breastfeeding have come and gone, Ollie is crawling, climbing, standing, beginning to step, and saying several words — and the day-to-day diapers, meals, snacks, walks, baths, packing our diaper bag… have all become second nature to us. What a relief! It’s incredible to look back and see how much has changed, how much we’ve learned, and how much we’ve grown!
Last week, we traveled to Fontana, Wisconsin in celebration of Ollie’s birthday. We rented an Airbnb in Fontana from Tuesday through Sunday, and spent the week together in honor of her first year. We went for walks, to the beach, and had lunch at a few of our favorite places — and it meant so much to have some time to simply be together and reflect on the year.
Our family — Ollie’s aunts, uncles, and cousins — joined us from Friday through Sunday, and Saturday was Ollie’s party. There, we were joined by even more family members: Ollie’s grandma and grandpa, and friends who are like family! We already knew Ollie was filled with so much love — but to see her surrounded by so much love was really special. She received so many hugs, kisses, and cuddles — and I’ve decided there is nothing more special than seeing your child be loved so well by so many people.
To celebrate Ollie, we hosted a “flower and garden” party. Not only does Ollie absolutely love nature, trees, and plants — but I’ve also always really loved gardening and how plants and flowers are symbols of patience, growth, nature, and seasons. Over the past year, I’ve needed patience with myself, because my recovery was so long and challenging — and because I had so much to learn as a new mom. As a family, we’ve grown so much, and we’ve experienced so much newness together. Now Ollie is officially a toddler — which has shown me how temporary each season really is. All this to say, I was excited for her flower and garden party, because it felt like such a beautiful and accurate way to celebrate her first year — and our first year as parents!
Below are a handful of photos from her big day — and I’ve also shared the awesome vendors to helped to bring our vision to life! A few memorable moments from the weekend were:
- Ollie took her first trip to the beach! Her sunhat, sunglasses, and swimsuit were adorable — and she loved kicking around in the water with dada.
- Ollie’s grandma baked Ollie’s very first cake — her birthday cake. It was a frosting-free ‘healthy’ cake recipe, in the shape of a daisy! This was so special!
- Ollie absolutely loved crawling around with her cousins! Seeing her play with her grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins was so sweet.
- During our long series of Happy Birthday songs, Ollie used baby sign language to tell us “All done!” 😂
Overall, I feel so lucky we were able to celebrate Ollie alongside family and friends with a flower and garden 1st birthday party. I feel so blessed to be Ollie’s mama — and to have held Ben’s hand through my most challenging year. I shared on Instagram, being a mom has made life make sense — and I couldn’t feel more excited for the memories we’ll continue to make as a family.
Flower and Garden-Themed 1st Birthday Party
- Invitations and Wax Seals: Minted
- Location: Airbnb
- Balloon Arch: Wisconsin Balloon Decor
- Floral Arrangements: Lilypots Events
- Cake and Cupcakes: Julie Michelle Cakes
- Cookies: The Treat Box Bakery
- Cake Stand: Pottery Barn
- Cupcake Stand: Pottery Barn
- Fruit Basket Tray: Target
- Utensil Holder: Amazon
- Fruit Cup Stand: Amazon
- Tablecloth: Amazon
- Happy Birthday Banner, Decorations, Plates: Meri Meri English Garden Party Theme
- High Chair: Munchkin
- ONE Banner: Amazon
- My Dress: Tuckernuck
