Homemade Invitation Input Please

I am working hard on putting together two different invitations for Carter's first birthday. One in primary colors for the parties in Ohio and one in St. Patty's theme for the party in Michigan. I'm not an invitation designer, so I'd love to have some feedback on likes and dislikes. Are the colors to bright or are there too many shamrocks? Let me know! :)

The picture in the green invite is a temporary as of right now. I did a photo shoot today with Carter that was less than I had imagined, to say the least, haha! I bought one of those giant, over sized, green bow ties for St. Patty's day for Carter to wear with just a diaper on. Ummm yeah, it happened, but nothing like what I thought. He was terrified on the bow tie. He screamed and cried and tried to get away. It was so funny because it was so un-Carter like. That's probably why I kept shooting pictures of him crying because I have only a few. I also bought a top hat with a glittery shamrock attached to a headband. Ha, he didn't like that either, but then again, he was also crying with nothing glittery attached to him. Maybe it was just one of those days for him!!

Here are a few of my favorites! I know, I'm mean, but I'll always love my baby boy!

Love you Carter!

I sure hope he's happier on his birthday and at all his parties!! :)

Carter is 11 Months

I'm a tad late posting, but Carter is 11 months now....

The only new news I have about him is that he weighs 24lbs 11.5oz. He came down with a small cold a few days ago, so we went to the doctor to rule out ear infections and so they weighed him. We'll have to wait until his 1 year check up for his length since he's a little squirmy.

He's still always smiling, crawling around everywhere, and getting into everything.

He likes to play with his fridge magnet toys.

He's pulling himself up on things and scaling back and forth. His newest trick, hinderance to mom and dad, is pulling himself up in his crib in the night and not being able to sit/lay himself back down. He screams and cried until I come in to lay him back down, so we'll be working on him sitting down from standing on his own this week. :)

He's still saying ma ma, da da, ba ba, and na na.

He's taking a sippy cup a bit better than last month, but we'll be pushing that hard so that at 1 year we can start weaning from the bottle.

He still only has 2 teeth.

He's (I am) really excited about planning his first birthday parties, 2 in Ohio and 1 here in Michigan. Although, a tad bittersweet!

Help!!

Carter's first birthday is right around the corner *wipes tears away and sniffles* and I'm starting to try and find cute decoration ideas that I can make into projects for me to make myself. I always see really cute ideas on other mommy blogs, but wonder where they got the idea. They had to get it somewhere, right? Carter is having three parties. Two of them are the same theme of just bright primary colors and the third is a green St. Patty's theme. (I'm doing it just once to get it out of my and everyone else's system) I'd like to do some of these cute projects for Carter's parties, but where did they find the ideas? Or did they just thunk it up on their own? If you can pass along any websites that are helpful and creative, please send them my way.

This is a circus theme party which we are not doing, but I love the bright balloons and the banner hanging.

Copied from "The Paro Post" blog

I didn't put a month old sign with Carter when I took his monthday pictures, but I did Photoshop it in. I'd like to do this same idea so people, family and friends, can see his progress over the last year.

Copied from "The Bug's Life" blog

I plan on making cupcakes for his St. Patty's party and I thought it would be cute to add these cute cupcake toppers for a lil extra flavor.

Copied from a seller on Etsy.com

So these are some of the ideas I'm looking at and I'm looking for websites these ideas could have come from. :)

A Weekend of Firsts

Carter has started to walk pretty good with his activity walker. Today, we captured his steps. So, it's been a big weekend with his first haircut and first assisted steps. We just love him to pieces and can't wait to see what other firsts are up his cute lil' sleeve.

It's Haircuttin' Time

It's true...Carter's officially a big boy!! Scott and I took him for his first haircut yesterday. We went to the salon where I used to work and Carly did a great job with him and with the cut. This is Carter's head before his cut.

And let the haircut begin...

He cried for just a minute just after Carly started to work her magic...

..and he quickly bounced back with smiles after she gave him a comb to chew on. Thanks Carly!

And here is my cute little boy after the cut. It's the same style, just a tad thinner. I think he's getting his mommy's thick hair, which is just fine by me.

Just Because

Last weekend we went home for my youngest niece's (really my 2nd cousin) 5th birthday party. The last couple parties we've been to, Carter has really started to show an interest in balloons. It's fun to watch him stare one down and try to figure out what it is. Here are a few taken from the party.

Months ago I put Carter in the laundry basket for the first time and he hated it. He cried and cried and cried!! This picture was taken just a few weeks ago and now, he apparently loves it!