Celebrating Fitz & Alex: One Wild Year

I am going to just ignore the fact that it has been nearly one month since Fitz and Alex's big birthday, and cut right to the details.

The Saturday after their birthday, Mark and I welcomed family and friends to our little space in the world to celebrate One Wild Year.

It was everything I thought it would be and more and nothing like I thought it would be. Isn't that how parties usually go?

The food was easy and fantastic. We leaned on local barbecue maestro Johnny Ryan for smoked chicken wings and Boston butts; pasta salad sides and coleslaw from The Fresh Market.

The dessert table was one of my favorite elements, local shop Cake Designs did both smash cakes and the large sheet cake for guests. My fabulous and favorite "cookie lady" Ellen Hamilton did the most adorable animal faces and monograms for the sugar cookies.

The Watering Hole offered bottled water, Coors Light and Jungle Juice. After all, it really has been a wild year for everyone so Jungle Juice seemed MIGHTY appropriate.

I originally stressed hardcore about this party but then ended up doing everything décor-wise super last minute. I ordered a obscene amount of inflatable animals, thanks Amazon!, and they were the main focus for the party, besides the birthday boys of course. Paper products were solid green for main course and giraffe print for dessert, also from Amazon.

At nearly midnight the Thursday before the party I was up giving myself glue gun burns so we had a wreath that matched the party, and knotting jute to make a banner for the mantle.

 

I am my mother's child, without question.

As a party favor, guests had their choice of lollipops and/or zoo animal shaped bubbles. "This year has really blown us away." I can't help myself, I'm a writer. 

I wondered for months how the smash cake thing would go. In fact, I was extremely rigid in NOT giving the boys cake before their birthday. I wanted that picture. You know the one, with the glee on the kid's face as they dove head first into the icing.

Well, obviously, Fitz and Alex's plans always trump mine and we ended up with so many great pictures and videos. It warmed my heart.

 

I mean, these kids of mine? They really have a way of making sure you forget about the 5am wakeups or the constant stress on our budget or my constant worrying over Alex.

Or the fact that I about drove my super crafty mother crazy handing her a bag of remnants from Joann's four days before the party, saying, hey, you can do the highchair banners, right?

__________________________

Party details:

Invitations, menu cards, thank you cards: Shelby Berry

"Party Wares": Mantle banner, plastic ware, napkins, balloons, etc.: Amazon, Michaels, Dollar Tree
Fabric for tables and high chair banners: JoAnn's
Inflatable Animals: Amazon, Amazon, Amazon
Alligator Ring Toss: Amazon
Smash Cake, Sheet Cake: Cake Designs

Animal and Monogram cookies: Ellen Hamilton (she ships!)

Smoked Chicken Wings, Boston Butt: Johnny Ryan's

Pasta Salads, Colesaw: The Fresh Market

Candy Buffet: Party City
Zoo Animal Bubbles: Amazon

**Photographs by the talented Shelby Berry**

One Year

Happy birthday my darlings! I wish I knew what to say, but for once I find myself at a loss of words. I'm conflicted, you see. I want this last year back. I want to be holding a snuggly little five pound creature with the tiniest hands I've ever seen again. I want those days back where I was so exhausted I couldn't feel my feet—where we sat in the rocking chair in your room and I just hoped to God you wouldn't wake up your Daddy and I could just have five more minutes with you.

I wish I could have made some better decisions this last year. Sitting at the computer and thinking back I find myself thinking solely about myself: my feelings and my actions. I wish I could start over.

But I don't wish we could start over. See, I can find all the places I went wrong, all the places where I probably should have done things differently. But I don't look back and see one single thing you could have done differently. You were, and continue to be, the best babies in the world. You did everything I ever dreamed you would do during the first year. Well, except really walking on your own, but that will come. You've gained weight—Lord have you gained weight—you've learned to play with each other; you've learned to comfort each other and you've started learning how to be tiny humans. You've shown me that no matter what there's something bigger than me at play here. You push me to remember that life is so much more than anything I ever dreamed it could be.

You've changed my life in 365 days without ever saying an actual English word.

So many people tell me congratulations for making it to this day—for surviving this year, your first year. But honestly, I can't remember much about it. I remember snapshots, I remember certain shirts you had and little outings and small milestones, but I don’t remember January per se.

I vividly remember the day Alex sized out of preemie clothes. I vividly remember all the days I cried because I thought I was "messing up" as your mom. Like last night for example. I hope you forgive me for doing that. I didn't mess up; we made it to October 7, 2015.

This year was so fun, I hate to see it go, but damn, I'm ready for the next chapter. I'm ready to watch my twin toddlers learn to run and explore and watch seven million more Professor Toto and King Julien episodes and eat mac and cheese and do all the kid stuff.

I love you more than I will ever say, and you will always be my babies. But I think we're all ready for this transition from babyhood and I know we will "survive" it the way we always have: by figuring it out together.

Happy birthday, I hope you always love your flawed momma the best.

Officially MidTwenties

Texted to me by my college BFF Riley, before she surprised me at my birthday dinner!

Has it really been over a month since my birthday? Wow, time sure does fly when you're on the wrong side of mid-twenties. Ew.

I'm writing this more for my own documentation than anything, because this might have been one of my best birthdays yet. I got to cuddle with my munchkins and celebrate with a killer pure barre class. I can't deem it best because I'm campaigning super hard for a pink princess casino party, WALTER MARK ANDERSON IV.

Three of my favorite people and champagne. Lots of champagne.

When Mark and I talked about a small birthday dinner, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. We're pretty involved in the local food scene, thanks to a blog and facebook community Mark runs. I originally wanted to go to Central, but as we starting thinking about whom to invite, the list grew and grew…and grew some more to nearly 50 people!

Central didn't quite have the options we wanted, so we made the change of venue to neighborhood favorite True. It was one of the first meals Chef Miguel made for many of us (including myself) and I'm excited to see what he's going to be doing to the restaurant. They will be rebranding later this spring, focusing more on Italian options, but I have to say…after this meal, I'm confident I'll try anything he makes.

Birthday girl dinner: Pimento cheeseburger with cheese grits. Excellent!

Will's "stupid good" roasted chicken with greens, mashed potatoes, and a garlic cream sauce.

Mark's "delightful" schnitzel with greens.

I was so incredibly honored to see people from every facet of my Montgomery life. It was truly an honor everyone made it out.

As per my usual style, I was over top with my champagne drinking and loud kissing, in my mink coat. A night to remember for everyone!