Parents know that birthday parties are always more work than you originally plan. I always have the intention of keeping it *simple* but unless simple means gala-style, I don’t do simple – one of those unavoidable truths I’m going to have to accept in my life. Worse even, a truth Husband will have to accept too.
Normally for me, throwing a birthday party is hard work, not so much because of the actual party but because I’m looking for decorations in a country where finding everyday things (like bananas) is sometimes hard to find so finding specialty items? Let’s just say I start planning her October birthday in August and have been known to hole punch my own confetti. But this year, as luck would have it, our good friend (and one of Rafa’s Godfathers) is getting married in September which meant that the kids and I stayed in NJ an month extra. I took the chance to not only celebrate her birthday party with our family and friends that never get to celebrate with us but I also got to throw a birthday party in the land of ease, where everything is accessible and easy to find and if it’s not at Target, it’s on Amazon. God, I love the U.S. sometimes!
Since we arrived here this summer, she has watched My Little Mermaid everyday (yes…she calls it My Little Mermaid). She’s been giving me checkups as per Doc McStuffins, wears necklaces to mirror Sofia the First’s amulet, dances to “Let It Go” like she’s on So You Think You Could Dance, and treasure hunts with Jake and his Neverland Pirates. So…Disney was Captain Obvio theme and though the guest list was short – the festivities were big!
(I gathered many ideas via Pinterest and came up with the rest. Feel free to check out my Disney Birthday Party Pinterest page.)
This was my favorite part of the birthday party!!! Guests walked into the entryway and grabbed a Mickey Adventure bag. The bag had a few small toys and would be used for the prizes they would be winning and the piñata candy!
Just kidding. She wasn’t sleeping. She was hiding candy.
This was a special birthday for us but perhaps my favorite moment was when Rafaella changed into her Princess Belle dress and came out to everyone singing Happy Birthday. My parents had my sister and I make an entrance to our birthday parties and I remember it fondly – I don’t know that my sister felt the same way about it but I lived for it. I didn’t plan for Rafaella to make an entrance but it sort of miraculously worked out that way and I couldn’t have been happier for the unexpected opportunity.
Mike
Wow, it looks so great! I love the Disney-themed food names. Now I'm in the mood for a hot diggity dog.