A very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday party for Abishai & Charlie

We celebrated Abishai and Charlie’s 1st birthdays with a combined party at our place on Saturday.  Abishai is already 1 and Charlie is almost 1 and it just seemed perfect to combine the celebration. Plus, Annie and I ain’t stupid and it also meant half the work for each of us. Have I mentioned I’m so happy they are closer to us now?? Like SOOO happy. These cousins get to grow up together and we sorta think that is an amazing blessing. Prepare yourself for WAY too many pictures of the cuteness.

Kudos to Annie’s friend and Pinterest for all the stolen and fun ideas for decor.

Pictures from each month of the boy’s lives.

there was quite a crowd for present opening time

Love this of my Dad and Mom and Abishai.

Auntie Jorie killed us all with some fabulous knit hats for the Iowa and Illinois mini-fans

But clearly Abishai was not feeling his

opening all your gifts with lots of “helpers” may be a bit traumatic. But yes; that would be a FIRST WORLD PROBLEM.  I may love this picture too much.

I would like to offer evidence that some families can take a normal family picture:

And then there is us:

screaming and pulling his sister’s hair and sign in front of her face and what weird finger in pocket thing am I doing? I think I was trying to do the hand-on-the-hip to look thiner but panicked.  There is no hope for me people.
Oh wait!! This is a bit better:

Prayers of blessing and thanks for the boys. Yep, I might have  cried.

cake time! (and please ignore Jason’s Movember ridiculousness)

I can’t decide which was funnier: watching the boys dig in (Charlie pretty much rocked it with some full face planting action while Abishai preferred the small bites!!) or watching all the adults and kids laughing at the boys.

Dig in!

“how are you feeling about all this?”

a smirk & a sneeze

“Umm, excuse me, are you gonna eat that?”

I just can’t stop posting these pictures…..babies in matching sweaters eating cupcakes is too much for me.

the cutest cousins

The Mamas about to handle the clean up and yes, I think Abishai was entering a sugar coma.

The party was a little crazy and by ‘a little crazy’ I mean complete chaos but in the absolute best kind of way.  The kind that leaves you exhausted with tears in your eyes and a full heart. As we were cleaning red frosting out of the carpeting that night Jason and I shared how blessed we feel so many family could be there to celebrate our boys and their lives. God is good y’all!
Happy already and almost 1st birthday to the sweetest little boys we know! We could not imagine our families without you,