Monday, September 20, 2010

A 4-year-old Birthday Party Under the Sea

Doesn't it seem like I'm doing this a lot? With my once every 4 years rule, this is the last "friends' party" I obligated to throw for two entire years; it might take me that long to recover! So, what does one do for a 4-year-old's party when he has requested a 3-D turtle cake for the last 11 months? Make it an "Under the Sea" theme, of course!

We decorated with lots and lots of fish cut outs. There were fish everywhere! Thankfully, I found them all at the party store so I didn't have to trace them all with my projector. Did I mention the use of fish cut outs in decorating?

Given the attention span of most four-year-olds, we provided plenty of short activities:

  • magnetic fishing with activites printed on the back (that would explain the crab-walking, fish-face-making kids)
  • decorating cardboard fish to glue on gift bags
  • creating octopi from paper cups and streamers
  • reading the Rainbow Fish
  • playing "minnow, minnow, SHARK"
  • pinning fins on the fish
  • breaking shark pinatas
  • and (of course) eating cake and opening presents.

And, at least until we move in a few months, no party at our house would be complete without playing on the beach. Especially appropriate for the theme, too.

It was plenty of fun, even if the wind made it so Matthew only pretended to blow out candles. There was always the fun adrenaline rush from hearing helium filled balloons and/or those 4/$1 punching balloons randomly popping. Thanks to everyone for coming, especially Matthew's special request for his awesome primary teacher to attend. Also, thanks to my friend, VT, (whose blog is private) for taking all the pictures: they're great!

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23 comments:

  1. You do the cutest parties! love the turtle cake!

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  2. You are amazing! I wish I had your enthusiasm and skill for party planning. Any chance you have done a pirate-themed party that I have forgotten about? I think my almost 5yo is about to request one!

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  3. What a great theme! Love the cake.

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  4. WOW! You did an amazing job! And the cake looks awesome!!!!!!

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  5. I still have NO idea how you do it. You have the MOST amazing parties.

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  6. No wonder you only have friends parties every four years! We do it every year, but we go way simple, although I do try to make a fun cake. Your kids are going to have the funnest(!!) memories, Charlotte. And enjoy the beach while you can. It must pain you a bit to leave it. Wah.

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  7. What can I say but you are an awesome mom. I love the way Matthew looks so innocent and sweet and happy. One could just love the snoppins out of him. Wish we lived loser (broken record).

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  8. That is one lovely little boy. And the cake is awesome too! And, I'm tremendously envious of your seaside living. Except, I don't really like sand. Can one have the sound and the breeze of the ocean, without the sand? That's what I want.

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  9. Man, I am sorry we missed it. I love cake and crab walking and the beach. Boy, will we ever miss beach day.

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  10. Sorry, I really didn't mean to call you "man" or "boy" like it sounded in my comment.

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  11. I love the top picture of Matthew. He looks so happy. What a great party.

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  12. Charlotte - what a cake! You are the master of cakemaking! My daughter and I tried our hand at fondant recently and it didn't go well! Like the people at our party literally peeled it off the cake and then ate the delicious (and frosted) cake beneath!

    Having just suffered through yet another party at a public venue, I have to say that my favorite party of all time that we've ever had was the one at our house that I designed myself - a cooking party with chef hats, aprons, homemade pizzas and little "rainbow" cakes the kids got to frost and decorate! I have to remember that for next year!

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  13. He is such a cutie! You did a really great job! Especially on the cake. I'm lovin Peter's sailer hat.

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  14. Looks like a blast! Happy birthday to your sweet Matthew!

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  15. Your kids are so lucky! I'm amazed at all you do. I can't believe he is four. He is darling. You were pregnant with him when we moved to Greenville. Wasn't that like yesterday?

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  16. Holy smokes! You are seriously talented with these parties!

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  17. such a great party! and the turtle? hats off to you!!

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  18. You've got some mad cake decorating skills Charlotte. Not nearly as entertaining as Elise's cake, but still fun to see (and wish I could replicate). Your VT got some great photos, and how nice to have the perfect themed backdrop. I probably would have just set the kids up with fishing poles on the beach and said, "Enjoy the fishing theme." (I'm not big on throwing parties, even though I am committed to it every three years.)

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  19. Oh, this looks like so much fun Charlotte! I love the creative cakes you make. And you are so funny - "did I mention the use of fish cut outs in decorating?" =)
    I'm excited to follow along as you prepare to move...big changes but I know how it feels to want to be nearer to family, etc.

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  20. Amazing party!
    We had a similar themed party recently but it was a reptile party for the birthday child. The kids had fun with the reptiles and then the children ate a Crocodile birthday cake.
    All the best

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