Party Girl

On Friday, we had Claire's first bday party with friends. This was kind of a last minute planning deal for me... I think it was the night before her bday (on the 11th) that she said, "Are my friends coming tomorrow?" I had totally forgotten I had promised her a friends party, since K and J had had their first friends party at this age. Thankfully, several girls were able to come, even tho most didn't even get a week's notice.

Claire had a great time! She loved having so many friends over, she loved the theme, she loved the decor and games, she loved opening presents, but mostly she just loved having friends over. As each one left at the end, she got sadder and sadder (she told me this later). After the last one left, she stood looking out the front door, getting ready to cry.

We had a fairy theme, since Claire likes fairies. It wasn't an extremely well-done theme, just mostly girlie-type stuff. What I could find at Dollar Tree on a quick visit.

Since Claire doesn't like bday cake, I didn't even bother. Made pink sugar cookies shaped like stars with sprinkles instead. Had red, star-shaped finger jello. Girls each got candy bracelets and took home a fairy wand to play with.

We played a fairy hunt game that went really well-- kids paired up and looked all over living and family rooms for pictures of fairies and flowers that Jenna had hidden. In the end, we didn't even count them up and declare a winner-- so much easier to just have fun that way.

BTW, Jenna helped a lot with this party-- I remember Katie helping me a lot with Jenna's last party, and Katie loved that, but Katie was gone to a friend's house this time. Jenna really enjoyed it-- setting things up, decorating, getting ready, helping me serve and run things.


These are the party-goers. We invited all 12 girls in Claire's first grade class at school. 7 came, so we had 8 wild first graders here for 2 hours, plus. I was pretty glad I'd only made it a 2-hour party! :)

Oh, and Micah made it into this pic. He was supposed to nap thru the whole party, but I knew that probably wouldn't happen-- he sleeps through a lot of noise, but not 8 first grade girls shrieking and yelling and blowing on party horns. :)

I sure was glad when Chad made it home early from work-- he helped me watch them outside. It was a gorgeous day, and the kids had been asking if they could go outside to play, so I dropped some games, and they went out to play. They ASKED if they could rake our leaves. Of course! Then I told Chad we really ought to get them to pick up our acorns, so he got out some buckets and made up an acorn-picking-up game! He-he! When one of the dads came to pick up his daughter, he said something about having a party at his house next weekend-- I think he wants his leaves raked, too.