Best Birthday Gifts for a 1-Year-Old

1. Baby Lit Don Quixote // 2. VTech Chomp and Count Dino // 3. Alphablock // 4. Nike Sneaks // 5. Radio Flyer Fold 2 Go Trike // 6. Babiator Sunglasses // 7. Mega Blocks First Wagon // 8. Kidoozie Water Table // 9. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site //

Last month my son Everett turned 1 year old. We had so much fun throwing his first smashing party (pirate-style!) and of course, indulging in some present buying. I still tease that we bought him a house for his birthday, although it's not too far off from the truth. But Everett was gifted some really amazing toys and books, and I wanted to share a few of them in case you have a birthday party for a 1-year-old in your future!

1. Baby Lit Don Quixote
I'm just gonna go ahead and say that HANDS DOWN, this is his favorite item. Like ever. He has never been attached to a stuffed animal, a "lovey" or any other object, but for some reason, he loves this Baby Lit Don Quixote book. Who would have thought?!  We read it to him probably 10 times a day and I've been sending it with him when he goes to mothers morning out as if its his blankie. I don't know what to think, but I swear it's teaching him how to say "Hola". Seriously. He says it!

2. VTech Chomp and Count Dino
This VTech Chomp and Count Dino is probably as fun for me as it is for him. The music is not annoying (which is saying a lot for a kiddo toy) and it's truly a fun, interactive toy! We feed the dino different foods and he sings about them. I love it.

3. Alphablock
This is another book that is getting a lot of airtime in our world. The Alphablock is big, beautiful, and fun to read because it's not really reading at all. It's a book that goes through the letter of the alphabet in a quaint picture format. A really great gift!

4. Nike Sneaks
My sister got Everett a pair of kicks that look so similar to these, and he has suddenly become a big boy in them! He is walking (more like stomping) in these adorable, chunky athletic shoes and I feel like he is about to conquer the world in them. Plus, I think he likes looking like his daddy in big boy shoes. So stinkin' cute, guys. Seriously.

5. Radio Flyer Fold 2 Go Trike
We haven't really quite mastered the technique it takes to get him riding on this Radio Flyer Fold 2 Go Trike quite yet, but I feel like it's coming in the next few months. But it's such a timeless, fun gift; I am excited to see him scoot around on this baby trike!

6. Babiator Sunglasses
Okay, these little Babiator Sunglasses are the jam. Everett doesn't keep them on his face for too long (he likes to pull them off and chew on them), but they are TO DIE FOR cute. They're perfectly designed for babies, too, because he has bent them every which way and they refuse to break. So fun! And it feels good to know that these will actually protect his baby blues in the sun :)

7. Mega Blocks First Wagon
Haha okay my little boy has turned into a WORKER with this Mega Blocks First Wagon. He drags it all over our new house, from room to room, picking up random household items and piling them in his wagon. I think he feels like he's being useful while we unpack. It's hilarious. And actually, pretty counterproductive, since he keeps moving things around and I can't find them in this new space. Ah!

8. Kidoozie Water Table
Okay, so we didn't actually get a water table like this one, but we played with them at several other friends' birthday parties this summer, and oh! What an amazing invention! With summer beginning to wrap up, I think I will hold off on snagging one of these for him until next year, but truly, he is at the perfect age for it now. It's such a fun toy for, especially for the outdoors.

9. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
Going along with the theme of my baby transitioning into a little boy (literally, right before my eyes), my little sneaker-wearing, wagon-dragging babe has loved the book Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. It's such a sweet story and introduces all the cool construction trucks that boys grow up to love. It's a good one.

Any fun gifts for 1-year-olds that I haven't experienced yet? I would love to hear about them!

"I am a good mom."

I am a good mom.

I keep telling myself that. Over and over. Because there are so many times that I don't feel like a good one. I feel inadequate. Too young. Too goofy. Too unsure. Too irresponsible. I'm plagued with the questions. How the heck do I discipline a kid? Is he eating the right foods? Am I playing with him enough? Is he getting enough time with other people? Is he developing at the "right" pace? Is he happy? And most importantly, does he feel loved?

Deep breath.

This kind of introspection often leads me to feeling less than. It's so silly, because I am desperately trying to do all the things that feel right in my gut. But I still feel overshadowed by all the things I'm not doing. All the causes and effects based on the choices that I believe are the right ones for our family.

For instance, I chose to stay home during Everett's first year of life because I believed that was the best choice for our family. However, I often find myself critiquing all the effects of that choice. Like, is he too clingy to me? (Answer: YES). Is he developing enough social skills? Is he well adjusted? WHY WON'T HE STAY IN THE CHURCH NURSERY??? I feel like I made this great choice to stay home with him because that's what I felt in my gut was the right thing to do, but then I question all the impacts of that particular choice. I'm sure every mom deal with this kind of turmoil. Right? A rousing chorus of "Amen, sister!" would be so appreciated right now. It's so hard to know what is THE BEST CHOICE. That elusive idea of "best" can really create some inner conflict. And focusing on the dilemma that my choices create only stunts my own personal growth. I can see now that it's been holding me up.

Welcome to my brain. It's all crazy up in here. I probably need some chocolate. And a good massage.

So I've started telling myself. Out loud. "I'm a good mom."

I keep saying it until I believe it.

Because I am. I'm a good one.

No, I'm not perfect. I make a million mistakes every day. My kid falls and hurts himself and the first thing I think is, "I'm a terrible mother!" I take him to Target and skip his nap. Ah - terrible mother, party of 1! But in fact, that's not true. Because the truth is, I am a good mom.

I am a good mom.

Can you say it about yourself? Well, that might be kind of weird if you aren't a mom. You might be an architect or a teacher or a rock star (gosh, if you're a rock star and you're reading this, well, I'm a tiny bit jealous of your life, and also, I sing back up), or a dad or a grandma or a snorkeler or a hummingbird specialist or something else. But do you say it? Can you say, "I'm a good (insert choice vocation/stage of life/dream you're currently chasing)".

I think you should say it. Like, right now.

Do it guys. SAY IT OUT LOUD.

I am a good mom. I am good at being myself and I am good at what I do everyday. I'm saying this out loud as I type it.

We are all trying so hard. Look around you. Everyone, they're trying. Even the people that you deem "lazy" are conflicted, figuring themselves out and living in their mind's own nagging narrative. Spinning like little mice on the wheel. I'm tired of feeling comparative and judged and I'm sick of judging (yes, that is one of my mistakes, I admit it) because I feel less than. I'm not less than. I'm tired of acting like I am. The truth is, I am a good mom. And I'm the best mom and the best version of myself as a person when I believe that.

I'm a good mom.

You're a good mom.

You're a good whatever-you-are.

This isn't blind optimism or a mantra in reaction to a mistake-laden pattern of behavior. It's truth. This is the truth. And I bet things start to change in my crazy mind and in my own life with this change in mindset. And I'm ready for it. Aren't you?

Happiest of Mondays to you, friends. XOXO.

How to Throw a Pirate Birthday Party.

How to Throw a Pirate Birthday Party.
We had such a blast throwing our son's first birthday party with the Pirate Pool Party theme. It was the perfect way to celebrate his vivacious life with our closest friends and family, in a way that was silly and playful. In other words, I was a dweeb and decided to make name cards for every pirate-y element of the party. I would say that it's the stay at home mom in me, but when it comes to celebrating, I just like everything to be over the top. Let me have my crafts and my recipes! LET ME!

1. The Food.
The food is obviously one of the most important elements. Since the party was early afternoon, we served lunch, which included (prepare yourself) Scalleywags (hot dogs and cheeseburgers), Fish and Chips (Goldfish crackers and potato chips), Plundered Pasta (pasta salad), Pirates Booty (duh), Veggie Planks (vegetable tray) and a fruit salad. For the drinks I went simple, with Ocean Grog (bottled water), and the Captain's Brew (beer), with juice boxes for all the kiddos.

2. The Watermelon Pirate Ship.
I came across this when I was pinteresting, and I couldn't resist giving it a try. This watermelon pirate ship was too adorable to pass up! I'll admit, the effort required was vast, and I am so grateful that my mom watched Everett the day before the party so that I could do crazy things like make a pirate ship out of fruits and vegetables (this tutorial was helpful!) But I was so proud that it turned out great! This is definitely the kind of thing you want to make a day ahead of time and then refrigerate overnight. There should be no day-of carving! The supplies needed for this (other than the fruit) were the fruit skewers (like these), some pretty straws (I found mine in the Target dollar section, but these are similar) and this pirate Lego set to really set the scene. These cute blocks were lying around the house and I decided to employ their attractiveness, as well. I also made 4 boxes of blue jello the day beforehand and cut it into squares, then surrounded the ship with "water". I'll admit, that might have been my favorite element of this little project, because it added a special effect.

3. The Cake.
The Publix Bakery has been a long-time cake provider in our family, from before our wedding up until now. My favorite dessert are the petit fors (the orange and vanilla are TO.DIE.FOR) and of course, the strawberry cake was my choice for our wedding. We decided to go with the Little Pirates cake for Everett's bash. Publix has this really special promotion for 1st birthday parties - when you buy a large cake (either 1/4 or 1/2 sheet cake), they will give a free mini cake for the baby's epic cake smash. How great is that? And they decorated his two cakes so well, I almost cried when I saw them. Thank you, Publix! You do it up right!

4. The Decor.
Balloons, streamers, and banners oh my. We posted balloons down by the mailbox and then drew a dotted line up the driveway (using black tape) to create the "treasure map" trail. A red "X marks the spot" was on the front door, where the party goers entered at their own risk :) That's where they dropped off their gift by the Captain's Loot and found their way outside to the food, drinks and poolside fun. Yes, cheesy. YES I KNOW. But the cheesy only added extra sparkle to the fun. Which I was having LOADS OF. I was on a party high the whole day. Laughing in pride at my homemade crafts-turned-decor. I also used a smattering of these, these and these free printables, all thanks to my excessive, late night nutella-induced Pinterest binging. Good times.

4. The Activities.
I am a firm believer in the fact that a birthday party IS the activity. We have a pool so everyone could "walk the plank" (the diving board) and swim to their heart's content! We also had toys out for the babies to play with and more than enough pirate "stuff" for the big kids to go around - eye patches and pirate face masks. But I'm a little bit over the top, so I also put together a photo booth (which, sadly, was never used - a good reminder that a party is enough of an activity!) I learned that when there is a pool, there is little else you need to keep kids happy and busy.

5. The Favors.
We couldn't resist putting out toy water guns and bubbles for all the kiddos to enjoy. While most of the bubbles ended up dumped in the pool (sorry, mom and dad!), I know that everyone really loved playing with these. Unfortunately, I ended up with an excessive amount of left over toy water guns. WHO LEFT THEIR PARTY PRESENT?! Come get your left overs!

6. Have SO MUCH FUN.
This was the most important part of the day. I made sure to take moments and deep breaths and just soak it all in. Not be too stressed about the details working out and just have fun. Enjoy my son and watch his expression change as he was sung to, doted upon, and loved so so well by all the wonderful people who surround him, encourage him, and have helped him grow. It is such a privilege to raise up this healthy, strong, hilarious boy and I am so lucky to be his mom and be part of his story. You only get to celebrate your son's 1st birthday ONCE. I wanted to make it count. I wanted to dress him up like a pirate. It's really too bad that he threw an enormous fit and wouldn't let me.

There's always next year.

In case you're wondering, YES, I pinterested an enormous amount to gather ideas for this party. You can see my board of ideas here. I had SO much fun planning and executing this party. I might not always put this much effort into birthday parties to come (I just re-read that sentence, and that's completely untrue), but I am so glad that Everett's birthday will always be a sweet memory for our family.

Let me know if you decide to throw a pirate-themed party! I would love to see your links and pics :)

Everett's 1st Birthday Party!

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you have lots of lovely plans in store for your weekend. It's been a really, REALLY busy week in our camp, with our upcoming move and lots of family events taking place, but I will have lots more to share about all of that on Monday. I wanted to take a moment today to share something super special that happened this past Saturday:

My son turned ONE YEAR OLD.

After sneaking into his room to watch him sleep every night this past week (that's not weird, right?), I am still in disbelief that my itty-bitty baby has developed into the most effervescent, beautiful, strong little boy over the past 365 days. The day of his birthday was especially peculiar for me, with my emotions oscillating between extreme excitement for his future and overwhelming sadness that my baby has outgrown himself day by day. I kept replaying videos of him over the past year, everything from his first grunts to his first smiles, first laugh, first crawl, first solid foods, ahhhh it's getting me all over again.

He is so sweet, so good, so infuriating and funny and fanatic and vibrant - I am overcome with gratitude. I am so lucky to be his mom, I am so lucky that he came into my life and surprised me with his joyful presence. His nocturnal, ever-teething, probably forever nursing (ah!) presence. Before I go completely emo-mommy on all of you, I'll cut myself short of all the reminiscing (since I already did that here) and just cut to the chase.

We threw him a pirate pool party with 45 of his closest friends. You can spot my immediate family members because we all wore pirate bandanas. You can spot me because my hair increasingly swelled with humidity every moment of the party. And you can spot my babe because he wouldn't let me put a bandana on his head; instead we had to settle for him wearing it around his neck like a bib. So he looks kind of like a cowboy while the rest of us experienced some rather excruciating head sweat, all in the name of committing to the theme. Honorable mentions go to my mom, who drew a mustache on with eyeliner.

My family is nuts. In case you needed the disclaimer.

Cousins with the she-pirate.

Super mimi!

My best creation.

Watermelon pirate ship. Perhaps my second best creation.

A special smash cake, all for him!

Happy Birthday, Everett Lee!

You can see the progression. He didn't dig it. Well, he dug in, but he didn't dig it.

Sweet boy. It was just such a big day for him, with all the people around him fussing and making a big deal. He really didn't know what to make of it. And he didn't even try to eat the cake. Which is a shame, because Publix really does make a mean birthday cake. THAT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING.

Sometimes a boy just needs his dad. Especially when everyone is staring at the icing on your face.

My little nephews decided to take up their cross and bury their faces in the cake since Everett didn't quite understand the fun in it. These little guys have my heart.

A dip in the pool, to wash away the crazed cake memory. And that stubborn red frosting...

Boom boom. Heart snatchers, both of them.

We had a special present opening on the porch. With Everett's girlfriend. AKA my future daughter in law.

Everything she picked out was his favorite. Of course. Because she's perfect.

Stacking cups for the win.

To all those matchmaking dads who try to make their babies kiss each other goodbye... GET A LIFE. Okay fine, I might have had the camera poised in hopes of capturing the epic moment. Alas, a kiss never came. #theresstilltime

Happy Happy Day.
And just like that. My boy is one. I am dumfounded, caught up in the fleeting wonder of parenthood and childhood and life. Any advice for this mama of a 1-year old, entering the toddler stage with a busssssssy boy? I'm all ears!

More up here next week on the party planning elements - how I made a pirate ship out of fruit, festive food for kiddos and adults alike, and the awesome photo booth that we kind of forgot to use. Oops.

Happy weekend to you! XOX

Psssst - In honor of his birthday, I am hosting a giveaway with Freshly Picked to gift a pair of babe moccasins (our favorite shoes) to one lucky winner! Do yourself a favor and enter here - it's the best kind of birthday favor, I promise!

Everett is ONE! Let's Celebrate with a Freshly Picked Giveaway! (CLOSED)

Birthday Presents for YOU!
I haven't been secretive about my love for Freshly Picked moccasins. They are simply the best shoe for a baby, even before they start walking. In honor of my little boy turning a WHOLE YEAR OLD over the weekend, I am partnering with Freshly Picked to give away a pair of his favorite moccasins to one lucky winner! Make sure you follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below to enter :)

Why We Love Them.
Everett's first pair of moccasins were gifted to him while he was still in the womb, from his girlfriend who was also in the womb. So you could say that Freshly Picked has a bit of a sentimental value in our household. But even more than that, these shoes boast an adorable design, supple 100% genuine leather, pristinely tailored construction, and delectable rainbow of color options. We probably own too many, but they are outrageously cute and they hold up SO WELL. And. I'm going to be honest. My child loves to teethe on these shoes. I can throw all the teethers in the world at him, but all he wants to chew on are his leather moccs. I often find him, gnawing quietly on his shoe, foot still in. He loves them. LOVES THEM. I have just relished dressing him up in his sweet moccs over the past year, and I'm already scheming over new colors that he has to have. Kelly green, anyone? Yes. Kelly green. They probably need to make that color first.

Why does my child look like he's going off to college? WAAAAAAHHHHH.

This little cutie sat so sweetly at the table on the front porch and let mommy preen over him. He's really gotten so, so big. How. HOW?!

Everett is wearing Freshly Picked Utah Collection moccs in Red Rock, c/o. Gap Onesie. Target shorts.

We Love Giveaways!
If you love these moccasins like we do, make sure you enter the Birthday Boy's Rafflecopter below! This giveaway will run for one week here on the blog. The randomly chosen winner will score a pair of moccasins, their choice of size and color. Sorry, this giveaway is only open to US residents, and you can't have won any other FP gear within the past 60 days. Best of luck to you all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway