Birthday Parties

We’ve reached the age of birthday party invitations. We actually hit that mark a few years ago, but knowing how much Ella enjoys large ruckus celebrations, we always politely declined. However, since Lily lives her life like a ruckus celebration, it was time to start saying ‘yes’. In the past two months, we’ve attended three parties. A neighbor girl’s party, a church friend’s party and a school friend’s party.

Hanna’s party was princess themed, led by a for-hire princess…her deal was that she would entertain your children for two hours, easily. And she did! A dozen little princesses ran around playing, getting their faces/arms painted, making crafts, eating cake, dancing, and generally running around.

Two princesses, check.

Both were nervous to get their face painted, but when they saw the birthday girl, Hannah, with Rapunzel's chameleon, Pascal, painted on her arm, they were in line.

Princesses made from pipe cleaners (I realize the pc term is chenille stems), wooden beads, pony beads, embroidery floss, and silk flowers. Adorable. Ella had been playing with a Belle figurine and decided to make her doll just like Belle. She was focused on finding the right colored beads and flowers to complete her creation, I was impressed by her attention to detail.

Cake, of course.

A month later, another princess party for our friend Sarah. Sarah’s mom went all out on the decorations – it was like Pinterest in real-life, everywhere you turned was something adorable to look at!

Regal entrance? Check. Signature kiddie cocktails in a fancy goblet and finger sandwiches? Check!

We missed ‘Pin the Kiss on the Frog’, but we made it for Sleeping Beauty’s Apple, kind of like musical chairs where you pass the apple and when the music stops, whoever has the apple has to fall asleep in the middle.

The game we’re still talking about? The Flynn Rider piñata. When Ryan came out with a frying pan to smack it with, the girls’ eyes lit up. The excitement was palatable. Interesting fact: young girls dressed as princesses have a lot of built up-rage, when armed with frying pans and a target, watch out. These little girls went nuts, it was shocking. Ryan didn’t think they’d get through the heavy box and had a knife nearby to cut the box open once everyone had smacked Flynn around. Yeah…they totally busted it open before the end of the line.

 

This weekend, Lily and I went to her friend Josh’s party. This party featured a clown, so I was immediately nervous (bad memories). Lily was a bit nervous to let the clown paint her, but eventually she eased up and got in line to have a rainbow painted on her arm. However, once she was front and center, she must have received an extra dose of courage because she said she wanted her face painted like a “rainbow cat”.

The clown did a show, the children loved it – there were fart noises and cookies, what’s not to like?

Everyone painted a picture frame. Artist Lily was in heaven.

The clown made each child a balloon animal while they ate cake. Lily made the decision to eat her cake while standing in line for her creation…this girl doesn’t miss a beat. She chose a flower and was just ecstatic. Lily was so excited her buddy Josh would be there. She plays with him everyday. As we were driving to the party, she wondered out loud (in her dreamy voice) what kind of shirt Josh would be wearing. We’re in SO much trouble in ten years.

We’re trying to get some ideas for Ella’s upcoming birthday. So far, we’ve nailed down that she doesn’t want a big party, so we may do an intimate gathering with a couple of school friends and a couple of neighborhood friends. What to do…what to do…