I cannot BEE-lieve my best girl is ONE!
Indie Mae buzzed into summer with a sweet-as-can-bee bumble bee first birthday party.
First bee-day
First birthdays are to celebrate your new one-year-old,
but let’s be honest- it’s also a little bit about celebrating the milestone of surviving new motherhood.
That first year with your child is beautiful and difficult and full of changes for both of you.
This party is for you too, mama!
I’d been dreaming about having a bright and floral birthday for her. After the last few years of 2 December boy birthdays, I had a lot of fun planning something a little sunshiney-er with a bumblebee first birthday party.
With social distancing and quarantine restrictions just easing up, it was nice to plan a little party, with just a few close friends and family members. and alllll the fresh flowers, of course.
DIY decor
DIY decor is usually my go-to,
one for money-saving purposes,
and two, it’s just fun.
The wooden honeycomb backdrop is just popsicle sticks hot glued to each other until I got a shape I liked,
and then glued some fresh carnations and baby’s breath in a few spots.
The idea is from Pink Stripey Socks blog post on honeycomb wall art.
It’s not a bumblebee first birthday without bees, and I’m kind of laughing at myself for not planning better and getting a better image.
It’s just clip art printed from my black and white printer, colored with yellow crayon, that I did at midnight before.
Yes, I cut out all the little nooks and crannies in the legs, and yes, I was annoyed at myself the whole time.
Procrastinators, unite! (tomorrow.)
My best friend Hailey is so freakin’ talented, and makes the most beautiful calligraphy art. For each of my kids’ (and many other friends kids’) 1st birthday, she’s made an ‘all about me’ sign, and this one she mailed all the way from Tennessee.
I love this because it helps to remember all the little details that showcased Indiana at this age!
This cute DIY beehive/bee skep is all from Dollar Tree materials and cost about $3 to make. Check Maggie Khloe’s tutorial vid on youtube! Seriously so easy. (These bees were also from my black and white printer.)
Don’t know how to decorate a drink dispenser? Slap some bumblebee stickers on that bad boy, and call it good.
They actually washed off pretty easily.
Gotta have Cake
The highlight was this adorable/incredible cake!
Nette from A Slice of Heaven wowed everybody with her cakery skills in this confetti/vanilla bee cake. Every crumb was delish.
I was like “Oh, just something simple, maybe some bees on it.”
and Nette’s like, “Ok, here’s white chocolate honey comb, gold-tipped fondant bumblebees and name placard, edible candy honey drips, and a smash cake to boot, because I’m a cake wizard.”
(Not an exact quote.)
But I have too much anxiety to give a baby a smash cake, so she got a few pieces at a time!
Lemon cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and edible sunflower decals.
And because I’m cheap, the O-N-E letters I just took from my son’s name letters in his room.
(You can make a lot of words with the letters in Soren!)
Presents, Facetime, and a well-deserved nap.
Big brothers were ready to show Indie how gift opening is done.
Then, a few Facetime calls from far-away well-wishers.
Each kid gets a fun balloon on their birthday, so I couldn’t pass up this giant sunflower at Safeway. Quick photo op before she crashed after partying hard!
Happy birthday, Sunshine Girl!
Cheers to a whole ‘nother year of Indiana.
Are you planning a first birthday for your little one? What did you do to celebrate you and your sweetie’s first year?