Cinco De Baby Birthday Brunch

While we kept Jameson’s actual birthday pretty low-key, we decided we wanted to throw a small party to celebrate and thank the people who helped take care of him during his first year of life, whether that was in babysitting or watching consoling him in the nursery at church.

And since his birthday falls on Cinco de Mayo, we thought a fiesta-themed brunch would fit the bill. 

Jordan coined the term “Cinco de Baby” a few hours after Jameson was born, and we’ve been running with it ever since, however little sense it actually makes. It just sounds funny, and we’re all about funny. We’ve also been talking about how Jameson will be turning five and saying, “But Mom and Dad – I don’t want another Mexican-themed party for my birthday.” And we’ll basically just tell him to suck it up. He should have arrived two hours earlier for a May 4 birthday, if that was the case. :-)

Anyway, here are a few photos from the party, which was a great celebration. It was another reminder of how loved Jameson is by the community that surrounds him, and as parents we can’t really ask for anything more. 
To set the party table, I bought a bright Del Mex Vintage Style Blanket and the coordinating napkins and paper decorations from The Paper Source. A few bouquets of roses came from the grocery store. And the rest of the table was made up of things found around our apartment.

Recipes:

What fiesta would be complete without guacamole?! I followed this recipe, and it was my favorite guac I’ve ever made. Simple and delicious.

I also made a baked chicken enchilada casserole, which is a recipe I’ve made a few times when we’re hosting large groups or want to take someone a meal (it’s also a good choice when you might be cooking for some folks who don’t do the glutens). It takes a little time, but we made it the night before, and it’s always so good. And when there’s leftovers, it’s still good.

Another dish I made was this baked french toast, which is great because you do the prep the night before and throw it in the oven in the morning. I cut down on the sugar a bit, because, well, it’s Paula Deen’s recipe, and I typically think it’s safe to cut butter and sugar from all her recipes.

Over many years of entertaining, I’ve tried to learn how to have as much done as possible before the event, so that I can truly be present and enjoy the company. There’s inevitably times to step away to refill drinks or food items, but for the most part, I was glad to enjoy this little fiesta.Jameson with his favorite baby-sitter, Shaneil. :-)Our little Yankee! I’ll warn you that a family pic with matching Yankees hats is likely in our future.It’s Peppa Pig! Jameson’s favorite cartoon. 
I’ll leave you all with a shot of the swaggiest little shoes that ever existed. They’re from Jacadi, and both Jordan and I want pairs in our size. It’s also so incredibly fitting that our “King Jameson” would have sneaks that come with the crown and “j” logo. :-)