Yesterday was my son’s first birthday and we celebrated by having a Sesame Street party the day before.   I started planning 2 months ahead because I knew that I would be making all my decorations at night after my son was asleep.   Plus I had lots of grand plans so I knew I needed the extra time to execute them.  I started by making a wooden street sign I kept seeing all over the internet when I was browsing for party ideas.   I am in love with the results and so glad that I decided to put in the work and make it myself.   That was one of the many projects that followed.   Night after night I would sit at my dining room table which remained covered in craft supplies for more than a month.  From banners to party hats, I cut and glued night after night.  I shared a few pictures along the way on Instagram as I worked.

Next came the menu.   Believe it or not I didn’t spend too much time fussing over it.   I knew I had to have a dessert table and that the food had to simple enough for me to handle on my own but  it had to be tasty.   I made cheese burger sliders, oven baked BBQ wings, 7 layer salad (this was the highlight for me) and chicken quesadillas and my father in law made a meat and cheese platter and a friend brought shrimp pasta salad.
Everything was absolutely delicious.   I did hear a whisper in the party about there being no curry goat but hey, why cook what you eat all the time at a party?  Fact:  West Indians expect to find curry, peas and rice, cook up, roti and chowmein at every party.   Fact:  Because I have this blog it’s even more expected of me.  Fact:  I don’t like making what I consider everyday food at parties and holidays so I always disappoint…that is until they see/taste what I’ve made.  But I digress.

Now the dessert table was my baby.   I spent more time thinking about cakes, cupcakes, cookies and popcorn than I care to admit.   I planned every detail carefully, scrapped a few ideas and added more along the way.    I settled on making giant smores pops, sugar cookies, dirt cake and a Cookie Monster cake.  I’ve made cakes in the past for friends and family but knew this one had to be extra special and that it was.   Cookie Monster was easily the showstopper, he received lots of oohs and aahs and questions about his fur.   I was proud, as he was my best work and he was for my son.    The party went off without a hitch.   I made sure to provide entertainment so I wouldn’t have 8 kids in sugar comas running amuck.

They played pin the nose on Elmo, musical chairs (hilarious), counting with the count and colored.   They were also thoroughly entertained by the balloons that hung from the ceiling.   I think it’s fair to say that fun was had by one and all big and small.   Even though my son was a bit tired, he socialized, sat on various laps, played and had a mouthful of cake.    I know he won’t remember this day but when he’s old enough he has lots of pictures and videos of his first birthday.   

I wouldn’t have it any other way, plus I wanted to honor his very first birthday.    The only thing that could have made this day even more perfect was if my family was here….but there is next year!  A big thanks to all that came and shared our son’s special day.

The Birthday boy with Daddy

Just the 2 of us