Daniel's First Birthday party

27 September 2015

Everyone woke up early excited to attend Daniel's 1st Birthday party.  The invitation from Donna and Brian, whose wedding we also attended in 2012 and which I wrote about here, mentioned that the schedule for the party was 1030AM to 3PM and I knew then that it was going to be a blast, much like their wedding.  So, we all trooped to the car and anticipated a great day (which it was) and read on to see what happened at the party!

The party was held at the Philippine Army Officers Club in Fort Bonifacio.  Naturally, we Googled it to find out the best way to drive to it.  We opted to take the Villamor route because Patrick said it was faster travel-wise.  The BGC route was shorter in terms of distance but there are a lot of traffic lights to get through.  He was right and we arrived in record time.  We met Brian and Donna outside of the venue as they were heading for a photo shoot :)  Daniel looked so cute in his Ringmaster garb perfect for his Circus motif :)

There was a reception area where the kids got their name tags and hats and each got a bubble-making toy.   Upon entering the venue, we were met by clowns on stilts (wasn't able to get a pic with them).  First reaction to the venue was astonishment.  It was bright, cheerful, colorful and huge!  It was actually overwhelming but that only heightened the excitement! :)  We were encouraged to get our fill from the food carts.  The kids didn't know what to eat first hahaha Patrick went straight to Taters and got a Nacho dip and Popcorn, Dana and Tracy went to the Dirty Ice Cream stand while Dylan and I opted for the Belgian Chocolate waffles from Waffle Time :)  I also had the chance to visit Grace, a High School and College friend, at their table.  That was nice :)

Food Stands

Other guests were arriving by this time and there was an announcement that the entertainment will start. The kids went to the designated seats in front of the stage for a better view.  While there, they were served Taho Ice Cream from Happy Bean.  At first, I didn't realize it was Taho Ice Cream because I thought it was just regular ice cream or yogurt with a lot of toppings (the kids can make their own).  It was only later when Patrick and I went to the stand that we saw what was being served :)  Dylan got bored while waiting for the program to start so we went to the Face and Body Painting section where he got his Woody artwork done.  :)  By the time he was finished, the show was about to start.

Entertainment

Face and Body Painting

So, the program began with a photo opp with Brian, Donna and Daniel with the family.  The fun and games went on and the kids participated and got prizes for their efforts.  It was a good combination of games for kids and adults and even the yayas (babysitters) were called on to participate in the afternoon :)

After the exhausting but enjoyable activities, it was time to break for lunch.  Each table was called on stage for a photo opp with Brian, Donna and Daniel and then they could proceed to the buffet table.   The kids were initially served at the tables fronting the stage but we brought them to our table so that we could eat together.  They were served kids' meals consisting of a tiny burger, a helping of pasta, a chicken lollipop
and juice.  But from all the other food that they ate beforehand, they were still full.  Dana went straight to the Starbucks stand to get a Caramel drink ;) She was ecstatic about being able to taste Starbucks!! hahahaha  They also had their turn at Face and Body painting.  Dana chose the rainbow because of Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony and Tracy chose the Butterfly.  Dylan, this time, chose The Flash though he originally wanted Buzz Lightyear to partner with his Woody.  Dana went a second time and got Naruto on her arm.

Naruto on Dana's arm

The buffet offered a great mix of dishes - soup, pasta, rice, meat, chicken and fish with Lechon (Roasted Pig) to boot!  You would go crazy over the desserts because there was a delectable selection of candies and pastries.  I really loved the mini Brazo de Mercedes and the Mango Pandan panacotta :)  The kids went for the Gummi worms.

After a while, everyone was entertained by the Magic Show!  Here's a clip of how much the kids enjoyed the Rabbit trick :)  Patrick and I drank our own Starbucks drinks and he tried his own Happy Bean Taho Ice cream.  :)  I kept nibbling on the mini Brazos hahaha

With all this activity, the kids' energy wasn't waning and nobody seemed tired at all.  It seemed that time was moving so fast!  We were approaching the end of the program with a few more games and then the Emcee led the kids on a birthday dance for Daniel.  You can check out the video here.

Then it was time for the birthday song :)

 After, the kids all lined up according to age for the distribution of the souvenirs.  Younger kids got a pillow, a small stool and a bucket of goodies.  Older kids got the same except bigger stools and without the pillows :)  Oh and I almost forgot to mention the two photo booths present.  One gave you a printout of your picture while the other included your photo in a tumbler :) How great is that?! :)

Prizes that the kids won

I really feel humbled to have been included in your invitation list, Brian and Donna. My kids appreciated the thought and I'm so glad that we got to go.  I can only imagine the effort that you all put into making this party such a success.  Everything was planned, the guests were taken care of.  The activities were exciting and entertaining.  The food was overwhelming (to say the least)!  The prizes and giveaways were totally well-thought of.  I don't know how you are going to top this one but I'm looking forward to more in the future.  Thank you for inviting us and letting us share in Daniel's First Birthday celebration :)