Carter's First Birthday Festivities

Carter’s actual first birthday fell on a Saturday this year, so it worked out perfectly to have his party on his special day!  We selected a zoo theme for his birthday party because one of the first outings Carter went on in his life was a trip to the Knoxville Zoo.  We go to the zoo very frequently, and he always enjoys it!  So we thought a zoo theme was the perfect fit!

We sent out invitations reading:

All the zoo animals have gathered to say

Let's have a wild party for Carter's 1st birthday!

So swing on by like a primate,

Four to six on April 13th is the date!

The Zorio Zoo

Our Address

Give the Zoo Keepers a Roar (RSVP)

 

We were thrilled that after sending out invitations almost everyone was able to make it!  The following people attending Carter's first birthday party:  Fred, Andrea, Charlie, and Olivia; Chris, Alana, and Colt; Jeff, Amanda, and Audrey; Arlene and Corbin; Marc, Kim, and Anthony; Kim and Jay; Laura and Sylvia; Pop and Lolly; Grandad and Nana; Eric, Emily, Drew, and Hayley.  It was great to have so many friends to come help us celebrate!!

 

Zoo themed dinner and dessert plates and napkins.

The food table with a zoo/jungle look!

We had Penguin Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

and Hippo Ham and Cheese Sandwiches.

We enjoyed some Cheetah Chips.

Zoo Animal Crackers, of course.

And Kangaroo Kabobs

 

Some beverages in the watering hole.

Here are the party favors for all of Carter's

friends.  The sign says, "Attention Zoo Keepers and Wild

Animals:  Thanks for swinging by!  Please take a party favor!"

Each bag has the friend's name and says, "Thanks for making

my party wild!"  Obviously there's a net covering this table

that zoo keepers use for catching large animals!  :)

Inside each party favor bag, Carter friends got

an animal mask.

They also got a little package like

this of zoo animal crackers inside

their goodie bags.

Here's a closeup of the one of

the goodie bags!

I made this shirt for Carter to go

along with the zoo theme.

Our Zorio Zoo sign in the backyard.

One of our favorite parts of visiting the zoo

is going in the petting zoo, so we figured

it would be fun to have a petting zoo

at our zoo party!  Here's our sign.

I don't think anyone saw this other than family,

but inside the house I set up this little table with

one of the birthday invitations and Carter's scrapbook of

his first year.

Carter loved checking out the sweet baby bunnies

that were part of the petting zoo!

Carter learned a new word, "goat!"

Here he is with Cinnamon the goat who

was part of the petting zoo.

Carter walked around in the petting zoo

area like a big kid.

Dawson loved the goats more than anyone

else, I think!  He was constantly petting and

feeding them and walking them around the yard.

Both of my sweet boys with Cinnamon the goat.

Carter with Pop petting Danny the goat.

Carter petting Danny some more.

Carter with his Lolly watching as

Colt and Hayley hold bunnies.

The kids got the opportunity to feed the goats

treats out of ice cream cones.  Dawson loved this!

And then they just fed them out of their hands.

Andrea, Olivia, and Colt checking out the bunnies.

Dawson taking a turn playing with the bunnies.

Me and the birthday boy!

Carter showed off his walking skills

at the party.

Some friends enjoying their food.

More friends enjoying food.

Carter in his zoo animal highchair

with the giraffe balloon and animal

print bunting I made. 

The smash cake I made for Carter.

Carter LOVED his smash cake.

He made a giant mess which was just fine.

I eventually had to take it away because he

was eating SO much of it!!  I wanted him to sleep

at bedtime and was worried with all the sugar he wouldn't!

Here's the cake I made for all of

the party guests.

A few more smash cake pictures.

Dawson spending a little more time with

Danny the goat.

Dawson told us that Carter wouldn't know

how to blow out his candle so he would

help him this year.  So here's his candle

being blown out by big brother meanwhile

Carter points to his smash cake!

We had everything ready for the party the night before, so the morning of Carter's birthday we decided what could be more perfect than a birthday zoo trip!  We got to the zoo when it opened about 9:30 and stayed about three hours.  It worked out perfectly to have lunch at the zoo, then we got home and the boys napped until party time which gave us a little time to set everything up in the backyard.

Here's Carter at the zoo in his other birthday shirt.

We had fun playing in the Wee Play Zoo when we first

got there because it was a little chilly outside, but it warmed

up nicely to about 70 later.

The zoo has a huge sandbox area that Carter

got to enjoy for the first time on his birthday.

We all had fun here!

Mommy and birthday boy Carter

at the zoo.

Daddy and Dawson riding the lion.

 

Carter opening a few birthday gifts.  He was

so excited to open them!

 

We had such a great time celebrating Carter's first birthday!!  Thanks to everyone who helped us make his day special!