We kept the gathering really small, so some close family, and my friends from college came over to help celebrate Lauren's first birthday on Saturday.
We filled the house with helium balloon, streamers, and signs celebrating Lauren's first birthday. Sufen, Amelia and Daniel showed up first and immediately got in the pool with Michaela who had spent the previous evening with Grandma. I took Lauren in the pool with them so she could watch the kids playing in the pool, since up until her party she'd been deathly afraid of being in the water in the pool. Turns out this strategy worked. According to Lars on Sunday, he took Lauren out in the pool and she loved it! She frolicked, kicked and screamed when it was time to come out of the pool 45 minutes later.
Marie, Michael, and Mariah also came to help celebrate, as did my cousin Jeff (who showed up early and left early), my cousin Eric, and their parents Uncle Tao and Aunt Cathy. My Aunt Lih-Ping also came, along with presents she carried for Lauren from my cousin Ling, his wife Teresa, and daughter Charlotte.
My college friend Stacy came, along with Eric and Alvin, and Phil and his family, Tress, Matthew and Valerie. Matthew and Valerie immediately jumped in the pool and ended up having lots of fun with Daniel and Amelia.
Also Lars' cousin Kay and her son Cory, along with Lar's friends Steven and Collin came to help celebrate.
I tried to keep the invite list small, since Lauren still has lots of stranger anxiety, and tends to have meltdowns when too many people she doesn't know try to hold her. But surprisingly she was incredibly good during her party. She didn't have any meltdowns, although she did stay glued to myself, Lars or my mom.
Lauren also got to watch the kids play with the electric motorcycle I got a while ago, and watching was apparently enough, as she knew exactly what to do last night when Marie, Michael, Michaela and Mariah came over (to leave Mariah with Grandma for the week). Lauren and Michaela got on the motorcycle and zoomed around the backyard. Prior to the party I couldn't get Lauren to sit on the motorcycle!
Michael was a big help at the party, helping to cook and barbeque. We had burgers, gourmet sausage, hotdogs for the kids, chicken skewers, Lars' homemade potato salad, shrimp salad and 4 bean salad, along with a big sheetcake birthday cake for Lauren decorated with a princess in frosting, and the words "Happy Firts Birthday Lauren!". Yes unfortunately "First" was spelled wrong, but in our rush to get everything ready for the party we didn't get a chance to have it fixed. But the chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling was delicious! Lauren didn't quite learn how to blow out the candle, so Daniel helped her with the honors.
All the kids also helped Lauren open up her presents. Thanks so much to everyone who gave her a present, it was all way too much, as now she's got lots of new clothes and new toys.
We took lots of pictures, which I will share soon!
Thanks again everyone.
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