first birthday party!

We had a very fun first birthday party today. It was very sunny and hot outside, a good day to have AC! Mom and Dad spent the morning cooking and baking, getting the house ready, and our party was from 2-5. We were visited by Lizzie; Kristen and her Mom Joanie, her twins Kaia and Braeden; Amy and her son Rowan; Helen and her son Lucien; The Ortiz/Shadley family, Everett, Barbara, Rene, Kainalu, and Liliko'i; Godparents Danny and Sue. What a fun day! It was just fun to see all the kids playing together and fun to spend time with our friends. Eli had a good time for the most part, laughed a lot, flirted with all the adults, also cried a little when he didn't think he was center of attention ... he also got his first bite of birthday cake and ice cream! mmmmmm ....

We also did a very scaled down version of the Korean Toljabee ceremony, in which the child picks objects off of a table which symbolize different hopes for his future path -- the first two objects he picks are supposed to be the most predictive. We went with the tradition for most of the objects and added a couple of our own.

#1 ~ Eli and Liliko'i -- who is that pretty girl in the party dress?
#2 ~ Amy and Rowan -- Rowan, shy for once!
#3 ~ Kristen and Kaia -- Braeden took an uncharacteristically long nap, only joined in later
#4 ~ Helen and Lucien -- these guys are moving into the city, we're looking forward to their housewarming party!
#5 ~ All the kiddos from the party, minus the tiny 10-week twins -- Rowan, Kai, Lili, cracker-eating Elijah, Lucien
#6 ~ I'm afraid this is the best picture we've managed to get with Eli and the twins -- what a grump in the middle!
#7 ~ Danny and Sue, who are maybe the best ever -- we know Phoebe thinks so!
#8 ~ Suddenly not sure about being the center of the universe .... until getting some hugs from Sue
#9 ~ Eli's birthday cake. Homemade by mom, and it tasted great, but maybe we buy next time ... I had ingredient issues and had to run to the store three times!
#10 ~ These were the objects from Eli's Toljabee ceremony from left to right:
photo album, symbolizing deep connections with people
arrow fletching, symbolizing hunting
egg, symbolizing many descendants
yarn, symbolizing long life
book, symbolizing scholarship
chalk, symbolizing artistic expression
needle, symbolizing good with his hands
rose, symbolizing good connection to the environment
spoon, symbolizing good cook
rice cake, symbolizing wealth

Check out the two videos to see what Eli picked!
#11 ~ Green family, Eli gonna blow out his candle!
#12 ~ Ate some cake, blew his mind ...
#13 ~ Smiley smiley kid on a big sugar rush ...

We had a great day everyone, we were especially thinking of grandparents in Colorado and New York, and Uncle Declan in Iraq. On to a second great year ...