Celebrating Judah!

This weekend was a big weekend for all of us but especially Judah as we celebrated his first birthday and his baby dedication with family.

Starting at 4:00pm (after nap time) on Saturday, we celebrated Judah's first birthday with both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Our house was transformed into a barnyard with animal hats, a red barn cake, and animal balloons. Judah particularly enjoyed looking at his "Happy Birthday" banner and barnyard-themed plates. Cousins Jacob, Caleb, Hannah, and Isaac made sticker animal balloons, played with the barn and farm set, and banged on all the musical toys when they arrived.

The adults mingled, watched the kids, and played a little farm bean bag toss themselves. Then at 5:00pm, everyone enjoyed Sloppy Joe sandwiches, vegetables, chips, fruit, and of course homemade chocolate birthday cake. Judah just ate his vegetables and pasta for his birthday supper but he did taste cake for the first time. He took his time touching it and observing the red frosted chocolate cake before finally taking the plate and dumping the cake upside down on the floor.

After dinner, Judah opened his gifts following the reading of the Barnyard Dance (by Sandra Boynton). He tore through the wrapping paper (as the other kids observed and helped) to find several fun toys: a John Deere Combine and tractor book from Papa and Gigi, stacking blocks with shapes and a book from Grandpa and Grandma Kreis, a tractor with animals plus a laughing duck from Cousin Jacob, and Lego-type Fischer Price farm blocks from the Book Cousins. Daddy and mommy gave him a farm-maze puzzle, blocks, books, and a frog towel and washcloth set.

Overall, Judah had a good time just interacting with his company, playing, and enjoying the new toys. The evening turned out to be fun and everyone had a good time. While parents took tired kids home/hotel to bed, Judah, himself finally fell asleep for the night. However, the cake and the excitement kept him up several times throughout the night.

The next day on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 9), Tim brought me breakfast in bed (eggs, sausage, and homemade muffins) before Judah woke up. When Judah woke up, we got ready for church. Then we met family at church before the second service for Judah's baby dedication. Tim also had corsages for the mothers to celebrate Mothers Day. During the service six families dedicated their children to the Lord as part of the service, vowing to raise their children in a Godly environment. Taking up two rows, we sat with family members for the rest of the Celebration Service of testimonies and baptisms.

After church and family pictures, everyone returned to our house for a catered meal of Felix and Oscar's Italian pasta. Seating twelve people at our table, we enjoyed each other's company before people took off for home or a long nap.

With everyone having a good weekend, a lot of memories were made! Here are a few: