COME ONE, COME ALL...

...to celebrate Mariella's 6th Birthday and The First Day of Spring!

Saturday, March 20, 2010
11:30-1:00

(extended until 4 pm b/c of perfect weather)

Hippo Playground

W.91st and Riverside

Circus in Spring Theme

Ella suggested Chinese Lanterns. Loved them.

Scott arrived early to save the tables and set up all of the tulle. He did a great job decorating.

A little "Pin the Nose on the Clown" drawn by the talented Elise.

I told the children that I hoped they made room in their apartment to bring home an elephant. We planted peanuts so their elephant would have something to eat.

Elise started off the party with Face Painting. She is magnificent. We were asked for our business cards by the way...

Friends.
Fun.

Ella enjoyed taking charge of the games and would call out..."K103, come to Me!" When she wanted them to gather. (that's their class name)

One of the elephants that they each took home. Along with another balloon of their choice or 2 or 3...seriously I don't miss this part of being a "child entertainer"...All I could think about is drinking a nice, cold, Diet Coke near the end there. And Norma came through for me! xoxo.


And of course, a bag of "peanuts", that had plastic eggs filled with tootsie rolls, smarties, peanut buttercups and a fun tissue paper flower craft, for spring and all. Planning birthday parties are something that I LOVE and HATE. I worked for a party company in college, so I was very excited to plan my own children's parties when I had them...however, I soon learned that it is a complete stress. We've had some really good ones...and a few where I've pretty much felt overwhelmed and wanted to lose it. Ella hadn't had a party with her schoolmates since she turned 3, so it was time.

Most parents here rent out party rooms at various schools and children gyms and hire entertainment, but with our budget, I had to get creative. I used most a lot of items that I already had...like our cute popcorn holders that I put "Pirate Booty" in and things like that. And I must say, along with several other parents at the party, "our kids are going to remember this one!" The weather was so unbelievably beautiful that the party lasted 3 hours after its original end time. We didn't get home until after 4 pm! It was PERFECT, we're never this lucky. Besides the fact that our families weren't there. That would have been the icing on the cake, the cherry on top.

The park from above, on the Hudson.

One last cute one of the clown!