Land of Make Believe Party

Throwing parties isn't my specialty.  Between getting the house clean, party planned, supplies gathered, food made, cleaned again, etc... I'm not usually the most talented hostess.  And that's okay with me.  We were saying that before the days of the internet and the talented women out there posting all of their super-parties on the internet, we never really knew or cared about all of the perfect details of a birthday party. I would love the time/space/mental energy to stop and plan perfect and fun and beautiful party, but since I live in the real world (at this point my baby was almost 3 months old) and life is crazy, just a party that makes the kids feel special is all I aspire to.  And guess what, guys?  It doesn't take as much perfection as you would think to make them feel special.



Penny wanted a princess party, we compromised on a dress up party.  Some of the dress up items were new, most were old.  One thing our family knows how to do is dress up.  We literally have two leather benches full of dress up and another basket overflowing in my room.  Somehow that little dress up box we gave to Avery when she turned one years old has turned into an obsessive compulsive, every single day of their life kind of thing.  And so that's what we did!  A few friends over, all of the dress up laid out so they could play imaginatively. I didn't have them bring gifts-- which made me more free to keep it truly laid back with no goodbye bags or anything.  Just a little lunch, and a little play.

Skyping Gram and Grandpa before the party.



It looks like a disaster, it's not.  It's just OPTIONS.














We love this little goob.  Happy Happy Birthday, Penelope Dear!