A First Year

If you follow me on Pinterest you probably have figured out that for my son's first birthday I was considering a Harry Potter Theme. Because this is his first year, his first official birthday party, and he wouldn't likely remember it at all, I decided to just go for it and go all out. I did decorations, activities, and even a scavenger hunt all with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in mind. Honestly I had so much fun planning this party for my little boy and his cousins. It was a fantastic first birthday indeed.

Our great hall was decorated with candelabras, hanging candles, and the house colors. Presents were left by the owlry to be opened later. Our Diagon Alley was full of shops and stores. At Madam Malkins Robes for all Occasions my nieces and nephews made their own wizard hats. That was followed by a jaunt to Ollivander's where they chose a wand (pretzel), dipped it in magic potion (white chocolate), and chose a core of dragon heart string (pull and peel licorice), unicorn hair (silver sprinkles), or griffon talon (peanut butter chocolate chips). Then they were assigned to houses and returned to the great hall for our feast of soup, chili, and rolls. We finished off the party with a scavenger hunt for the cake, having to find all 6 of the barriers used to guard the Sorcerer's Stone. I wrote out clues in rhyming verse and tested the limits of my Harry Potter trivia with that stunt. Then, in the Mirror of Erised (bathroom mirror), we found the cake, lit the single candle, and sang to our sweet little "boy who lived" to be a year old. It was wondrous and fun, mostly for me! 

I honestly cannot believe how much of my life has changed and adapted in the last year. So much of who I am is coupled to who my little boy is. I love him dearly, am grateful everyday for his arrival to our family over a year ago, and cannot imagine my life without him. He is our treasure, our elixir of life, and our Littleman. I wish him the happiest little first birthday and look forward to what our future has in store.