Ezra Is a Toddler!

I mean, I think he is... He's actually been toddling about for some time.

Ezra found Dad and wanted to play, too.

 I love this pic of him sleeping. You mamas know - whenever your little one's been a fusspot, just a peek at them sleeping makes you remember how wonderful they really are.

Sweeeeet!

 Okay, to the task at hand. Ezra's bday was actually the day of our garage sale. I tried to find another day that fit the criteria we were looking for: we had to be available, it should be around the beginning of the month, and we needed the stuff out of our house in good time before the home visit of our homestudy. This was the day.

The only pic of Ezra on his birthday: 7 am makes for a sleepy boy.

That evening the Mnchs held a family birthday extravaganza because there were (no joke) 5 birthdays between the end of February and mid-March (tomorrow, actually). It worked out pretty well because my parents were able to get a good bit of time with E while they were helping during the garage sale. We would not have been able to do that sale without their help.

So, with his actual birthday not available for a lil party, we decided to have it the next Saturday. Since it was the first Saturday of Spring Break, we thought, "hey, let's invite more people than just family, since a lot of people will be out of town." [Keep in mind that almost all of our friends are in college ministry, so we all pretty much live by the university schedule.]

So we invited our immediate families, our homegroup, and our coworkers.

I think it needs more balloons.

 Turns out, we had 31 people come! I love hosting, so it was kind of a dream for me. We certainly won't be able to do that every year or anything, but I think there's something about firsts. And celebrations. And cooking for people.

Unfortunately, the roaster didn't think 6 hours was long enough to cook all the chicken I had put in it. A couple of wonderful friends/coworkers stepped right up to help slice and pan-cook the chicken so people could, you know, eat.

The theme was Elmo basically because I got the plates, napkins, and tablecloths at like 80% off (possible 90%, but I've forgotten) when our local Albertsons was closing. Turns out, Ezra loves Elmo. Stephen has put it on for him when I've been gone and he decides no one will do but Mom. I'm not a fan of plunking a kid down in front of the TV, but I'd rather my husband not hate me.

Anyway, soon it was time for cake.

Apparently, cake is gross.

 Everyone sang happy birthday to him, and he promptly cried. He was too tired, and thirty people singing was too loud. Luckily the dog started barking, which always cheers him up.

Friends!

I had a good time, and it seemed like everyone else did as well. I'm gonna try to convince Stephen to have maybe a "happy 1st Gotcha Day" or something like that for Baby A, since s/he may already be 1 by the time we get home, or s/he may not have settled in comfortably by the time one year comes around. But I digress. Here's to the next year with my Tookie!