ONE!

I'm going to be completely honest. Preparing for and throwing Liam his first birthday party was... let's just say challenging. Extremely challenging! I am exhausted and glad it's over. I think my friend Chris said it best at the party Yesterday when he said, jokingly, "You look defeated". Yes, through the first year of Liam's life, there have been moments when I've felt defeated. This weekend was one of them. But when I look back at the pictures and think back to the memories we're building and see the smiling faces, it makes it all worth it. When I think of all the help we have and support we've received, it reminds me how lucky Jenna and I are.I have to thank Jenna's family for everything they did for this party. Her Dad seemed to be cooking the whole weekend. Thank you, your chicken wings are my new favorite food. Jerrie, Mikey, and Jordan were either preparing food, watching the kids or loading/unloading countless items from countless cars. Thank you! The entire family, aunties, uncles, and cousins... and friends that helped set up the tables and decorations - Thank you! Christian, for helping paint the banners and taking over the teepee project. You didn't let us give up, and now we have a teepee!! Thank you. Jenna's Mom, thank you for cooking, cleaning, making the centerpieces and decorations and countless other things that go unnoticed. Without your love and support, days like Sunday aren't possible.Yes, Liam, you are One today."I speak for the trees."A quick story about the Truffula Tree forest you see here. Jenna had made all the fluffy parts already-the leaves if you will. She wasn't sure what to use for the "trunks" of the trees or how to attach the "leaves". She was talking to her Mom about it and was like,"So Mom, I need some kind of sticks or branches to attach the fluffy parts to".Her Mom was like,"Yeah, Ok".Her Mom walks into her bedroom and comes out a minute later, literally, with five 8 foot long bamboo sticks and was like, "Will these work?"And just minutes later she had sticks and large branches from actual trees, also gathered - I'm pretty sure - from her bedroom. It was unbelievable.This is the teepee we made. Fun for reading, sleeping, and smoking peyote.Goodie bags!Photo booth fun! Thank you to everyone that took a polaroid at the photo booth. We now have a full album to look back on.He had no idea this party was for him.The best part about birthdays is seeing family/friends that you don't get to see often. They traveled from Sac to make it here. My uncle (not pictured), traveled from Napa. That's amazing. Thank you for making it.Cuzzos!Yes Uncle Felix, Liam is one. Good job.I laugh every time.Thanks Jan for the awesome Lorax macarons. We made a makeshift Lorax costume that Liam was supposed to change into, but we forgot.Someone asked me if we had any entertainment coming, like a clown... I said we have 3.It was great to see Mike, Jessie and their growing family.For his cake, we gave Liam the option of Carrot Cake, and Double Chocolate Cake... He chose the latter."Uncle Gus, thank you for all your help and for lighting my first ever birthday candles!" That's what Liam meant when he said "ohadgbadggaas ddshhhhdaba babdad ohhhhhh".I'm glad Liam found time to nap after eating his cake, because he sure as heck didn't sleep at all last night.Last but not least, thank you Jenna, my wife and Liam's Mom. You did so much for this party, but really, what I'm thanking you for, is all that you do for our family.We survived our first year, We passed with grounded colors,There's been ups and there's been falls, but we got through 'em all together.(Yup, I just rhymed "colors" and "together".)Thank you.