the end

more fun than you can imagine

Now that Lil is One, it is time to focus on other things, like getting out to play, finding activities, and getting on with our lives. But we have something very exciting for our last post! This weekend, Lil and all her friends and all the Mamas and Papas got together and had a big party to celebrate all the babies' first birthdays.

elise (front), ethan (middle), and georgia, in a frou-frou dress!

I was a little busy, and unfortunately my camera was not doing too well in the indoor lighting, so all these photos were taken my Agnes' mama, Emily, with her Nikon D90 camera. Thanks Em! You got some great footage of the tikes and all the festivities.

evelyn and agnes discussing their parents eccentricities

Pulling together a party for 34 babies, plus their mommies and daddies, was no small feat. Luckily, the owners of Osteria il Paiolo are the founders of our Yahoo! group, and made their space available to us on a Saturday afternoon. Not only that, they also provided food and drink for the mamas and papas. I have never seen so many happy people in one room. If you have not been to the Michelin recommended spot on N. 6th in Williamsburg, you really don't know what you're missing. Can penne marinara really taste better there than anywhere else? Yes. Can brick-oven pizzas really be more exciting at il Paiolo than at the thousands of other spots that do brick-oven pizza? Yup. And the cupcakes... oh, wait! The cupcakes weren't actually provided by the restaurant, they were lovingly baked by our 7 delightful bakers, also known as The Baking Mafia. They made pumpkin, vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, strawberry, and a compilation of tiny mini cupcakes for every palate. Those ladies all did an awesome job, and since I got to sample every kind, I know firsthand how hard they worked. Thanks, and yum!

lil and everett contemplate a bead maze

The babies all had fun playing in our 10x10 play space set up with cushy foam tiles and all sorts of toys that were brought to share. Lil mostly cruised around on the concrete, but did manage to stop and play with a friend or two. Mostly she was wanting Mama, while I ran around, arranging our baby snack table and gift exchange. Several generous families brought in some pint-sized treats for the little ones, since pasta and pizzas weren't for every palate. And every family who brought a gift got to take home something new! The gift exchange was a little haphazard, but I think it worked in the end. 

everett wants to play guitar

We even had musical entertainment provided by a couple moms and dads! We are so lucky to be part of such a talented, friendly, and most of all fun group of families. Hopefully Lil will have some opportunities to make it to more meet-ups and playdates in the future. Whatever happens, it's been a blessing to have such great people in our lives.

zoe, sebastian, and georgia

georgia and van the man hit up a mama for some snacks

adeline (left), max, and leo (turned around)

Yay, babies!

And thanks to everyone that followed Lil's first year. I know one day she'll grow up and know how special it is to have so many people care about you.