We celebrated Willa's half-birthday on Saturday. (She turned 1.5 on June 27th) Since her real birthday falls 2 days after Christmas, Sean and I fear it will inevitably be overshadowed every year. Not by us, of course, but by the rest of the world. So to make up for our own poor timing, we intend to honor Willa's birth semi-annually, with an unconventional half-birthday bash.
We grilled hotdogs in the backyard, and cooled off in the inflatable pool. Wanda made Green Lizards - frozen cocktails of fresh mint, lime, and vodka, which, by the way, have now trumped the margarita as my favorite summer beverage. Mint and all. Paula made my dad's delicious shell pasta salad. Sean prepared the beans. Sandy made chocolate cake, and my mom provided homemade vanilla ice cream.
How did I contribute, you might be wondering? Scrubbing the house, from floor to ceiling with Mrs. Meyer's All Purpose Cleaner, took up most of my time. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. I don't know if anyone else even noticed how it sparkled or smelled of lemon verbena. But I did. And it was worth it. As you might expect, I also did a little last minute redecorating (future post)because I just can't help myself when I have guests coming over. And for the party decor, I fashioned some Willa themed photo collages for my bare walls and several photo cubes to top the tables.
The party was a lot of fun. It took Willa a while to realize that she was the belle of the ball, but once she did, she made the most of the spotlight. As usual.
