Sebastian’s Very Hungry Caterpillar Party {part two}

I’m finally getting to post the second part of Sebastian’s Very Hungry Caterpillar party recap. I can’t believe that my little man is heading into his first toddler year, fast and furiously, without so much as a blink. His first birthday party was a blast, filled with traditions we made when Alina turned one. When I think this party is the last first birthday party I will ever host, I do get a little sad. They grow up so fast!

(Check out the first post of his Very Hungry Caterpillar party)

My sister helped with the party decor (duh), which included this pom pom caterpillar. I have a fairly large painting in our family room, which we covered with construction paper to create a perfect place to showcase one of my favorite phrases from the Very Hungry Caterpillar book. And of course we made our sweet boy’s monthly picture banner and hung it on our fireplace mantel. Other than those few things, the party wasn’t lavishly decorated. Indeed it was planned with lots of loved, but not overly done – just the perfect amount of planning to not lose my mind!

The goodie bags were filled with all sorts of cute things, including a snack bowl that I got at Target’s $1 section and filled with gummy worms, Eric Carle inspired crayons (again at Target) and a few other VHC inspired gifts. We shopped the teacher supply section for these apple cut outs and used a hole puncher to create the caterpillar’s bite marks. Since the pictures from Sebas’s birthday photo shoot turned out so cute, I made this festive Thank You card and attached it to the bags. Check out this post for a Very Hungry Caterpillar free printable to the card’s template.

There were plenty of sweets at the party, too! My step mom made the adorable assortment of cupcakes in the shape of the caterpillar, including a special cupcake especially for the birthday boy. They were so cute – she did such a great job – and they tasted good too!

After Alina’s birthday cake scandal, I decided to go-big or go-home. And so, Sebastian got the mega house of birthday cakes. Isn’t it so cute?! A friend offered to make it, but I opted to keep things simple and not stress. I’m so glad I did! I showed the lady a few photos online, she drew up a picture and Daddy D picked up this sweetness a couple hours before the party. It was so easy! If you happen to live in Vegas and want a bakery referral, send me an email! The top layer was vanilla and the bottom was chocolate, both had a strawberry cream cheese filling. I’m not crazy about fondant (looks pretty, tastes not so great), so I opted for this smoothed out butter cream frosting. Yum.

One of our favorite parts of a first birthday party is when the baby (turned toddler) takes their first bite of sugar-laden cake. When Alina was a baby, I thought for sure I would make her cake out of carrot puree or something of the non-cake sort. But, you know what, sometimes a kid just wants cake! Both of my kids never had sugar (not counting naturally derived sugar, or even sugar in breads and pastas) before their first birthday, so watching them tear into a frosting covered cupcake is the highlight of the party. And just like his big sister, sweet Sebastian did not disappoint…

Querido Sebastian,

I love you, my sweet piece of yumminess! You were a blast on your birthday – not at all upset by the chaos around you. You smiled, played and ate a lot of cake! You make everyone in our lives so much happier just by being you, by being healthy and by turning one. We love you so much. You’ve got this mama of yours wrapped around that slimy, red finger.

Te quiero por siempre y despues de siempre,

Su Mama