James's 1st Birthday Party 2012

James first birthday party went really well. A lot of fabulous people came over for it. In Cuban culture, and really in most countries, a baby's first birthday is one of the most important birthdays. It is often celebrated like a mini-wedding.  Traditionally, I think this was because a child that lived through the first year was much more likely to survive in the long term. We didn't really want to spend money on renting a place and catering, especially when so few of our friends have children yet, but we tried to have the nicest at-home party we could muster.

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James with his four favorite people in the world

My mom helped a lot by getting us the cake we specially ordered and bringing special Cuban appetizers such as: bocaditos, croquetas, pastelitos de carne, and pastelitos de guayaba y queso. 

The birthday cake was from La Gran Via, a WNY, NJ bakery (bottom tier yellow cake with custard and guava, top tier chocolate with chocolate custard)

All of our local family, family friends, and many of our local friends were there. It was really nice having everyone there, especially people who came from New Jersey and upstate New York. Onel came 2 hours from Pennsylvania and Grandma Kathy came all the way from Cape Cod!

Family friends through my Mom: Rick, Madison, Yohana, Arelys, mom, and Onel

The Alonso side of the family: Uncle David, Melanie, and Great-Grandma Daisy

It was definitely a highlight having some children at the party though. James rarely gets to play with other kids and usually just when we take him to the Cape (mostly his best buddy Ellen).  He spent most of the party chasing the Rachel and Tim's kids, Isaac and Eleanor.  We got a pinata, because I had one at my 1st birthday but I knew in advance they were all a bit too young for it. (Can anyone say candy choking hazard?)  Nonetheless, we gave it a shot.

James flirting with Eleanor (Hey baby, I have a helium balloon.)

Tim providing pinata assistance to Isaac, Eleanor, and James.
(Notice the random baby weapons they're wielding:
bat, mallet, hammer, and party horn.)

The child who stole the show the most though was baby Hudson. At barely two months old he wasn't busy playing with the other kids, but because he's little and a terrifically quiet baby everyone wanted to hold him (none of that he's-crying-give-him-back-to-his-mother stuff). He was delish and he was passed around around the party the entire time.

Ash meets and snuggles Hudson

The "Clous" and "McClouds"

James didn't get the whole cake-singing-candle-blowing stuff so we helped him with that, but hehad no trouble understanding the cake-eating stuff. Like an unruly gremlin he managed to get food from various people at the party and spent the after-midnight hours paying for it with a tummy ache. Oh well, at least he enjoyed the actual party!

Blowing out his first candle

Enjoying his first birthday cake with Michele

James with the Sterns

Making silly faces with Briggs

James received a ton of presents from our extremely generous friends and family, but here's one particularly cute one:

 

Wearing their matching Irish sweaters made by Grandma Kathy

Thank you to everyone who came to the party or who sent your love! It meant a lot to me!