the parties - 2

this birthday party kicked off on thursday night when nana and pops arrived. they brought a huge fish balloon that charlie loved.

having a blast playing with the fish balloon and pops.

this afternoon, danny, laura, mary, pete and margit joined us for an afternoon celebration. the weather was beautiful and we had a wonderful time celebrating charlie.

opening gifts in the sunshine.

loving his little people noah's ark set from nana and pops.

spending some time with uncle dan.

uncle pete and aunt margit made charlie this amazing stool. thanks pete and margit! check out charlie's adorable green keens. love them!

he loved playing with the tissue paper while standing on the stool. definitely not safe.

now for the climax. the cake. i was inspired by a friend who makes her kid's birthday cakes. she told me they were not that difficult and that she enjoys making them. so i was determined to make charlie a dog cake. i wanted to find a shaped dog cake pan, but they are impossible to find (unless you go on ebay). so i decided to turn a lamb cake stand into a dog...more specifically lily. you be the judge.

lily the real dog.

lily the cake dog. check out the "angel wings". i have to give credit for the color of the icing to bill. he was my sous chef and mixed icing until his arm was sore.

so proud of the cake.

getting carpel tunnel putting the stars on the night before.

charlie chowing down on his piece.

i love the chocolate cake in his eyelashes.

lastly, laura gave charlie these little pillows she found in germany. they are beautiful and we gave one to charlie tonight for bed time. he usually bunches up his blanket to make a pillow so he was pumped to curl up on his new pillow.