Abby's 5th Birthday Party!

Three Saturdays ago, Abby had her 5th birthday party at Build-A-Bear.  Our goal this year was to keep the party smaller, more intimate and of course, pick something both boys and girls would enjoy.  Seconds after the excitement of her first sleep over with Elliott was over, she was fully focused and non-stop talking about and/or planning her party.  She had grandiose ideas of her and her sister performing a scene out of Frozen at the end of the party.  She wanted me to wear a blue dress (like Elsa) and for her and Lilly to wear a green dress (like Anna).  She wanted to read aloud to everyone the picture book of Frozen that she drew by herself.  The list went on and on.  I dutifully nodded in agreement and sometimes gently lowered her expectations.  And by the time the party date arrived, all was forgotten and it was off to Build-A-Bear to see her friends!  Whew!  We dodged a bullet there.  Abby helped me decorate the cupcakes I made for party favors and I prepared coloring sheets with crayons and stickers for the kids to take home too.  I have to admit, with our April schedule the way it was, I intentionally kept this party sweet and simple.  Then after the party, the family came back to our house to have the Frozen cake I made for Abby.  It did not turn out looking ANYTHING like I had envisioned but again, Abby was thrilled with what she got so I wasn't worried at all.  I tried to top the Hello Kitty cake I made for Lilly's birthday but it didn't happen.  There's always next year!

Build-A-Bear party time!

Tillie found a cute seat right next to Abby.  :)

Lilly wanted to watch Abby get her Rarity doll stuffed in the stuffing machine.

Then she tried stuffing her little puppy doll by herself!

My and my sweet niece.  ♥

Lao Nian and Tillie.  :)

Because it was her birthday, Rarity got to go home with some new threads too.  :P

Fruits of my labor: party favors.

The paper cut out of the Frozen characters was suppose to be the plastic figurines that were impossible to buy, the white frosting got bits of chocolate cake crumb mixed in when I was icing it and the blue rock candy I tried to make to emulate "frozen fractiles" was a bust so there is it.  Abby's Frozen birthday cake - which she thought was the most beautiful and yummy cake ever.  :)

Then it was gift opening chaos time at home.  We were so glad to have been able to spend Abby's birthday with the Baldwins this year.  We were only missing Kirk, Lucy & Willow because they were sick.

I'm contemplating letting Abby have a sleep over for her 6th birthday party - we'll see how brave I feel next year!