pink princess party

The kids-all three-enjoyed yesterday's birthday party. It was the most elaborate birthday party I've attended, not that it was all that out there. Just more than any I've been to. They were running with the pink princess theme. The rented pavillion was swathed in pink fabric, with a few butterflies thrown in. There was a pink princess castle on top of the pavillion. Pink Birthday balloons hung from the ceiling and acted as centerpieces on the tables. Pink ribbons hung with pretty pink bows. There were fake roses and clear pink windchime/icicle like thingies hanging from the ceiling. The tables had little miniature pink palm trees and pineapples. The tablecloths were pink. The plates were pink. The plasticware was pink. The napkins were pink. The salt and pepper shakers on each table were pink. The deviled egg trays were pink! There was a pink castle snowcone machine and a pink princess hat pinata. They had a clown that did balloons, face-painting, and a magic show. They had waterballoons that came in either pink or grenade. I don't know if it was a birthday present or they just brought it, but there was a light blue and pink cinderella kiddie car. And we were next to a playground(kiddie heaven). The birthday girl had two outfit changes(both involving pink). Wow.

So I'm sure it could have much more overdone. I'm sure with people who really have money, it routinely is, but this was the most trouble I've seen people go to. I was impressed with the amount of work they went to. As the sole party planner in my household, I know it takes a while to set all that stuff up and unload the food and arrange everything. I'm betting it cost a pretty(pink) penny to buy all that stuff too. As the birthday girl was only turning three, I can't imagine that she appreciated much of it. The birthday girl was a little princess herself. With blonde curly hair and pale blue eyes and pink painted toenails and pretty little outfits, she certainly looked the part. She is a beautiful little girl. Leanna really wanted to play with her, but it took until right before we were leaving(naturally) until she decided to be friendly. I suspect she gets everything she wants. But to be fair I am basing this on one day only, and there was a lot going on. I think the clown was a waste of money-the kids never really got into her. With an older crowd it would have been fine. I think the birthday girl was the only one who got her face painted and it took a while to get the kids together for the magic show(because they just weren't interested). Justin just wanted to drive the car-he loved that! I mean he really loved it. The irony is that it was me teaching him how to drive it. Another little girl was watching him so I asked her if she wanted to get in. She was a little smaller than Justin, so when I had them switch so she could drive, Justin worked the gas pedal for her and let her steer. He put his little arm around her-it was sooooooo adorable! Leanna's waterballoon popped as she held it, all over her. And Justin's just never popped, he didn't throw them hard enough. There were a couple older kids who actually hit open the pinata. The little kids were't going to be able to handle that alone. I told Tom to tell Justin to pretend he was hitting Leanna(then he would have hit much harder). Justin didn't care about hitting it, he was however, watching like a hawk for the candy that started to come out. Miss Leanna was all, "Nobody look at me! You can't look at me!" while she took her turn swinging at it. It was a long afternoon, but the kids really did have a lot of fun. Timothy really enjoyed the change of scenery. He was real happy, being carried around and watching all the kids. He let Jerry's Mom hold him for a while, until he got hungry. I think it was nice for Tom to have a day where he didn't have to work and didn't have to feel like he was letting Jerry down to get it! He's somewhat familiar with Jerry's family. So he enjoyed talking to them and watching all the kids play.

I liked that when we arrived, instead of the usual Oh! You must have your hands full-type comments we always hear, people were complimenting Tom on his nice family. It's an older idea, that a big happy family equals wealth (of a different type). Beyond just having many hands to run the farm or work at the factory. A couple people said Leanna looks like me, and a lot said that Timothy looked like me(which I don't see at all. I think he looks like Billy). Someone else said that Justin is a cross between the two of us. To which I replied, THANK-YOU!(to Tom, who is still in denial).

Edit: I forgot to mention the pink water pistols, which Leanna REALLY enjoyed running around squirting Jerry with.