Party Party

On Friday, Emmy's little playgroup friends and some of my friends and their little ones arrived to help celebrate Emmy's birthday.

I really did keep it simple but simple with the final total being fourteen kids and seven moms really wasn't so simple. 

The party was moved outside so the kids could run and play with bubbles, my daughter's Jeep, her little toy house and all the other myriad toys that make up her plastic jungle in the backyard.

When my friends arrived one by one I introduced them to my mommy friends from playgroup.  Then, I proceeded to introduce my mommy playgroup friends to each other.  Not that they needed any introductions.  We all had a good laugh over that one.  This is what happens when your mind is going in four different directions at once.  Who is still not here?  Have I introduced everyone?  Where did my daughter go?  Did I get all of the snacks out?

Thanks goodness for the pool.  It helped cool off the little ones and there was nary a temper tantrum.  Did I just say that out loud?  Fourteen kids and not one grouchy little munchkin.  Is that possible?

I even figured out the tip for the pizza guy in my head when he arrived carrying four piping hot pizzas and he asked me how much change I wanted back after I had handed him his money. 

Of course Emmy didn't eat her pizza.  She was to excited (and not to mention she had ate her fill of strawberries and blueberries). She and one of her little friends did have a pretend picnic on the lawn.  She pretended to eat while her little friend heartily ate her lunch. 

 Cupcakes sprinkled with fairy dust (white sugar crystals)

 Emmy blowing out the candle on her cupcake

It was so funny how most of the kids just ate the icing on the cupcakes and left the cake on their plates.  

It is all about the balloons!

Emmy's favorite thing to do besides a craft (involving foamies) was to run around with her Tinker Bell balloon.  Unfortunately, her little Tinker Bell balloon ended up being released into the great blue yonder accidentally by one of her little friends.  It was bound to happen.  I just told her that Tink flew away.  She was free to fly away to Never Never Land.  Emmy just looked at me and incredulously yelled, "She flew away!".  Not a tear was shed (thank goodness). 

 Stick the Princess in Her Window Game

Before the little ones left, we played stick the princess in her window (kind of like pin the tale on the donkey but for princesses) and they dug for gold coins in a Tupperware container filled with rice.  They then exchanged the coins for goody bags.  

Princess Paper Dolls

The goody bags had wands, frogs, paper dolls (princesses and mermaids for the girls and knights for the boys), coloring sheets, lollipops, and other little goodies.

All in all, it was a great party since I always count a party as successful depending on how long my children nap afterwards!  They both slept for about 2 1/2 hours.  It was perfect, just perfect.

On Sunday, we had a small family party with our immediate families.  We just had some snacks, cupcakes and an ice cream cake. 

Toffee Ice Cream Cake (adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe)

Oreo cookie crust

Layer the following: caramel ice cream (bottom), crushed Heath bars, chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, and freeze overnight (use light ice cream and whipped cream to lower the calories)

This was a hit!  More people ate the ice cream cake than the cupcakes.

Emily's favorite present?  

Em & her favorite present

A bag of M&Ms from her aunt that was opened as soon as she pulled it out of the gift bag.   Yes, she commenced with her humming.

The good news:  next year we get to skip the parties (no milestone birthdays next year) and just let the girls pick what they would like to do for the day.  Their parties will just be small family gatherings with their choice of dinner and cake and ice cream. And pictures.  Lots and lots of pictures.