Happy 3rd Birthday! part two

Birthday Party Invite.. It was a pirates and princess theme.













I gave Zoe a choice of dresses this morning, and she picked the cupcake dress.. it is lovely.. a bit too big, but she wore it all day. (thanks Rachel!!)

Today we had a party with a few neighbors and friends. Kids included: Harrison (age 4), Liam (age 2), Rosemary (age 2.75), and later Panos (age 3).


I spent all day yesterday trying to prep cake and cupcakes, including mini-cup cakes, but the biggest feat was the cake. It didn't start well.. I didn't want to use the dark hair half doll (no legs) that comes with the cake, so I bought a blonde barbie. But it was too tall, by a lot, to fit the doll mix.. I had to make two more 8" rounds and stack it.. then I didn't have enough fondant (almost hard marshmallow icing that you can roll and cut).. so I had to make it up... but I think it worked out okay.

The party was fun, but I should have organized the arrival of the kids and the adults a little better. Everyone came at once, leaving our adult friends to just kind of watch the craziness as I tried to send the kids on a mission to hunt gold and silver (chocolate kisses) in the backyard.
In trying to get the kids organized to do my planned activities, Zoe rebelled, she was a bit overwhelmed by everyone and just wanted to hide in her room. It became quite difficult to get her out and keep the kids busy. I think next time I will also hire a babysitter.. I had planned too.. but never got my act together.

After getting them all outside, they all loved it, they played in the yard with our tunnels and we had filled the swimming pool with balls and I threw in some match box cars for them to dive for.

About 3:30, the kids seemed ready for cake. Bruce and I lit the candles and got the porch only to find Zoe was back in the yard... the candles had almost burned out by the time she got there:





A picture is of Zoe eating one of the sleeves.

















Play time in Zoe's room: Panos, Harrison, Rosemary and Zoe.











Finn however, did not like the loud party scene. Dad took him outside to play in the ball pit, and boy did he love it!



















The night ended with Zoe and Panos having races across the backyard (thanks to George/Panos' dad).. boy did they have fun. I tried to shorten Zoe's straps on her dress, she was crawling through tunnels,.. that is a feat in a long dress!