Relentless pursuit of detail – In the short time that I’ve gotten to know her, no better words describe my friend, Jenn. She is more than a wife to John and more than a mommy to twin baby girls, Rylie and Audrie. She is a baking extraordinaire. With this passion for sweet (and very pretty, might I add) goodies, Jenn and hubby, John, made their daughters’ first birthday an event the girls will look back on and wish they were old enough to remember.

Good friends with the Lapaz gals, the Cortes twins celebrated their 1st birthday shortly after their buddies, Charlie and Alex =) In a sea of red, pink and green, Strawberry Shortcake and friends reigned supreme. 200+ cakepops, some of which resembled strawberries, a Strawberry Shortcake moonbounce, a Strawberry Shortcake background for pictures (which they made), a strawberry pinata and the creme de la creme, two sweet little girls surrounded by parents and grandparents who adore them, a family who loves them, and friends (adult and kids alike) who could spend hours at playtime with them. How much more blessed could two little girls be?

Thanks so much for asking me to be part of Rylie & Audrie’s happy day, Jenn and John! That was too much fun!

5:30 am – That’s what time Iya slept before Charlie and Alex’s first birthday party. We’d been talking and emailing about the girls’ first birthday for months and it was finally here; and knowing Iya for as long as I have, I knew she would spare no details.

It was the Saturday before Easter Sunday so what better theme to have, right? There were cakepops shaped like bunnies and baby chicks (which Iya spent days making), a dessert table filled with the most scrumptuous (and evil!) of goodies, an Easter basket-making corner, a balloon artist, an Easter Bunny roaming around and a photobooth, of course, for pictures with the holiday’s mascot.  

Charlie and Alex took a really short nap in the morning, and when they got to their party and saw all their guests, they looked like they were fighting sleep. Alas, they gave in for a little while but woke up in time for cake! Our friend from college, Belle, made this AMAZING two-tier cake, not to mention two personalized smash cakes for the girls to, well, smash. They didn’t exactly do any smashing though. They, in fact, looked kinda weirded out by their mom and dad sticking their fingers into the cake! I think Chris and Iya had more fun with that smash cake than the girls did. haha!

Charlie and Alex ended their day with a mass opening of gifts (well, Iya opened and we watched, haha!), caring for the packaging more than anything, laughing at each other, clapping their hands and I couldn’t help but think, they’re one already?! Weren’t we all just taking turns holding them at the hospital?! But before I could get all mushy or senti about it, I was distracted by the two silly little girls sitting in the sea of giftbags, playing with a crumpled piece of tissue and looking as content as can be. 1 year old – now THAT was the life!