A Carnival Themed Birthday

My little boy recently turned a year old and to celebrate this momentous occasion, we turned Lindsay’s backyard into a carnival fit for a (little) king! My inspiration was Jillian Harris’ birthday party for her adorable son Leo. I read and re-read her blog post showcasing fun décor, yummy treats and smiling faces. I knew I had to do something similar for my own baby boy.
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While I loved all the details at the party, I think my favourite detail was the candy bar. We purchased a variety of glass jars and filled them with gummy bears, sour candies, lollipops, jellybeans and more! It was a kid’s (and kid at heart) dream!

And what’s a carnival without cotton candy and popcorn? Glow Parties supplied concessions, carnival games, and balloons. The last time I had cotton candy I was eight years old at the circus. This nostalgic, sugary treat put smiles on everyone’s face!

My husband, being the extraordinary dad that he is, made corndogs from scratch and nachos with an amazing cheese sauce. Oh my goodness!! They were so good!

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We ordered a cake from Frostings Cake and Event Design and it was truly a work of art. It was a three tier, carnival-inspired masterpiece. And even though I knew we had an amazing cake for our guests, I wanted to bake my son’s birthday cake myself. I made a six-inch round funfetti cake that I hope to make every year for his birthday.

My son enjoyed his party but let’s be serious, he likely won’t have vivid memories of this birthday. So, I purchased a personalized guestbook for him to have as a keepsake and read when he gets older. Guests took a polaroid photo of themselves and wrote a message next to their photo in the book.

It was such a special day. Our guestlist was small so my son felt comfortable and was able to enjoy himself. I honestly cried about five times, beginning the night before the birthday (there were no tears at the actual party). They were tears of joy and gratitude. (Can you cry tears of gratitude? I think I did! 😊) I am so thankful for this past year and the blessing of my son. From start to finish, his birthday was an absolute celebration of an amazing little boy.

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Thank you to Lindsay and her husband, Chris, for sharing their house and party planning expertise. A big thank you to my parents for assembling décor and helping to pull the day together. Of course, thank you to my husband, Craig, who listens to my ideas and helps me execute them. This man is seriously so supportive, and he worked so hard to throw an amazing first birthday party!
Happy birthday, baby boy! We love you more than words can express.