First Birthday Cupcake Theme

I love First Birthdays, it marks an incredible day for both your child and the parents {they (everyone) survived that First year}. It's at this moment that you realize they are growing up, they aren't babies so much. Some are walking, taking their first steps, and some not just yet but it will come soon. Reese had taken a few steps but only practicing, the next few weeks she began taking 5-6 and now a month later she is walking all around the house though she will still crawl at times.

So for her First Birthday I planned a Cupcake Theme and invited only our close family and friends to make this event more intimate and small for her. My goal is to make the girls their birthday cake from now on and I figured cupcakes and fun and easy. I did a spin on rainbow cupcakes and just picked three colors for each cupcake (well Gabie picked the colors)

To make them I used a box mix of white cake mix. Make according to directions then divide evenly into three separate bowls. (I left one white~which isn't pictured here)

Then decide how you want the layers to look and spoon them layer by layer into your cupcake liners.

Here is my little kitchen helper~she had to wear her cupcake shirt to make them!!

Bake according to directions and Frost!!

I went with plain sprinkles on top but I was debating on some personalized cupcake toppers to match our theme. You can find some really adorable ones on Etsy like these here from Get the Party Started.

KidsCakes makes really pretty Fondant Cupcake Toppers that look great on top~plus they are edible!!

I did create my own invitations at home and had them printed locally~mostly due to time. If I had known about these I would have ordered them. Polka Prints will design your invite then you can print them at home or at your local photo center~how Cool is that!!

I made Reese an embroidery Birthday Banner that is just her name so I could hang it in her room throughout the year

I also made Cake Pops as party favors, you can find the recipe from Bakerella

{Please be advised that this looks easy, but is a very long all day task~you can order these on Etsy as well check out Cake Pop Shoppe.

I took Reese to the fabric shop with me one day and she actually picked out her skirt fabric for the party (and by picked out I mean she literally pulled the same bolt of the shelf twice). So I combined that with a sweet fluffy frosted Cupcake Applique to make her one sweet little outfit!! My friend at Cutie Pie Crafts made her hairbow for the day and another friend at Christensen Photography came to take the photo's so I could relax and enjoy the day and not worry about who will snap all the pics that I will want to look back at and cry over when gets older and doesn't need me as much.

My mom made the cake above for her Birthday~even after she knew I had made 48 cupcakes!! Guess a girl can't have too much cake at her birthday huh?