A Little Tiny Carnival

Our sweetest babydoll cousin Scouty just turned one and she threw a bright little carnival party for everyone to come celebrate with her. 

Emily and Joey made all the decorations and homemade veggie chili. Em's mom made roasted beet hummus and festive red velvet cupcakes made with beets as well! 

Birthday girl and her mama ready to party!

It was a much needed cozy rainy day! Scout, that little magic-maker-sky-crier, brought the rain last year when she was born as well. The girl knows how to make a great impression.

Woody and Fern stayed curled up in all the best spots as long as possible.

Scouty with her grammy Liz.

Em made party favorts of  little chevron-printed bags of circus animal cookies, each tied to a helium balloon which were HUGE hits with my babes. Polly calls them "ball" and was excited to bat their wilting bodies around for days. 

Em had a suitcase full of homemade props for funny photos. The kids were so cute with them but I had the idea a day too late that we should have done an awesome straight faced old fashioned portrait of each child who came. 

Lucy is a pretty big fan of masks and funny faces.

My mom made the most delicious lavender lemonade I've been daydreaming of every since.

Guests beginning to arrive; their cozy little cabin was brimming full of sweet fun faces to celebrate this amazing little girl.

Everything about Katie's outfit was perfect: rainbow striped dress, yellow appliqued sweater, teal tights, red tennys. What could be better than an outfit full of circussy color?

Polly was really fussy and needy through a lot of the party (I could not put her down or turn away from her for one moment) so I had to take her on a walk to try to get her to nap. She didn't, but gray clouds moved back in and it started raining while we were walking up the hill (my dad had come to join us and we were watching the neighbor's finches flock and bicker and scatter) and we had to scurry home through the cold pelting raindrops, laughing all the way. She loved it and was in a much better mood the rest of the afternoon, and it's a memory I'll cherish.

Pops' birthday gift for Scouty looking dubious about the rain. She's ready for sand and babies and summer!

Scout was such a trooper during her whole party, just the picture of genial hostess. We missed her cupcake during our walk, but got to see her curious interest in her presents. And that bod! My word!

Polly loved Scout's new toy wolf and threw back her head and howled a cute little "Ooooh!" 

The bigger kids played outside a while, undeterred by wind or rain. Lucy's new fake smile reminds me of Elaine.

Finally sneaking in a cupcake, with my little pickpockets lurking close at hand.

Such a happy day, to play a little make believe, to banter with friends, eat some treats, curl up and watch the rain, and romp around a bit, and most of all to honor Joey and Emily's first year of parenthood and Scout's first wonderful year of life. She had somewhat of a rough start, plagued by colic for several weeks, a very trying time for her parents, stressed and new and so loving but so tired and anxious and overwhelmed. But ever since then she's been an absolute angel, seriously the best baby on earth, (much more easy going than my own little rascals, and people think they're good!) and our whole family could not be more blessed with her presence. Scout is a lucky little charm and she and her mama are quite the enchanting duo!