Archer & Lyla's Jungle-Themed First Birthday Party

When I dreamed about becoming a parent, one of the things I imagined would be truly exciting would be planning my kids' birthday parties.  The thought of creating a day to celebrate my kids just sounded like pure fun.  So I was thrilled to be able to plan Archer and Lyla's first birthday party! 

I can see how some people go completely overboard when it comes to kids' birthday parties.  There are so many cute ideas out there and you can get wrapped up in creating a special day.  But I was able to rationalize that Lyla and Archer won't remember this day.  So while I definitely could have scaled back, I don't think I went too crazy.  

I decided on a jungle theme since Archer and Lyla enjoy animals.  They love to read books featuring animals.  So I set about coming up with a cute invitation, a few decorations, and food ideas.  

The guest list was small and included family and friends who Archer and Lyla knew and were comfortable around.  The day was already going to be a departure from their normal routine, so I didn't want to bombard them with a lot of people they weren't familiar with.  I planned the party to start right after their morning nap and end right before their afternoon nap.  That definitely helped them be at their happiest.  We included lunch, too.  

I whipped up some invitations using Google Drawings and then printed them at home on some cardstock.  It was an inexpensive route and got all the information to our guests.

For the decorations, I used some balloons that my mom and I found on clearance at Party City.  I also got a small hand pump to help blow up all the balloons.  (Shout out to my parents and brother for helping blow up all the balloons!)  They were green and fit the jungle theme.  I hung some big ones on the front porch and then used balloon tape to create a garland in the dining room above the babies' high chairs.   

I made a cute little photo banner that showcased all of Archer and Lyla's monthly photos.  I hung it across the fireplace mantel and it was so fun to see their progression.  It's amazing to see how much they grow from month to month!    

I also cut out the number one and painted it with some craft paint I had laying around.  My intention was to take some pictures of Archer and Lyla with it and begin a yearly photo tradition.  But I forgot.  Oops.  Maybe we'll start that tradition next year.  

We ordered pizza for lunch to make things simple.  I didn't want Adam or I having to prepare anything as guests were arriving, so we opted for the easy route.  I did cut up some fruit and made a cute lion veggie tray ahead of time.  (Shout out to my brother for slicing up all those peppers!)  And I set out some animal crackers, too.  

I ordered some cupcakes topped with cookies from Beautifully Delicious.  They turned out so incredibly cute and tasted delicious!  If any local Kansas City folks need any cute cookies, I highly recommend Katie at Beautifully Delicious!     

I did make a batch of dairy-free (for Lyla), gluten-free (for my uncle) cupcakes too.  They certainly weren't cute, but Lyla didn't seem to mind.  She gobbled up her cupcake in mere seconds!   

Archer enjoyed his cupcake too!  We hadn't given the babies any sugar, aside from a few licks of a popsicle.  So they were all about the sugar!    

I didn't plan any activities, but everyone was content to watch Lyla and Archer and just visit.  It was the perfect first birthday party!  Everyone had fun and we got to spoil Archer and Lyla!