The Birthday Party

What I really wanted to call this post? Phew! (it's over, I can now breathe again.. [you know, buying and making and cooking and organizing and all])

An additional possible alternative title after trying for too long to put a very excited little girl so sleep is  Finally! 

Before I go on and tell you what a rookie mummy I am (but also how people told me it was a great and well organized party, as I said above, phew..) let me tell you about her new two word sentence. Well the nanny (V) taught Butterfly to say - toda (thank you) V. I don't consider that two words as it is not from her own initiative. But then the other day she said to me - toda mummy. Which is so sweet and lovely. And yes, that is hers and a new two word for daughter :-). And then yesterday we were driving in the car and she was saying (with our "help") thank you to this person and that, and I suggested her name so she went toda A.nnie [her second name and how she calls herself] and since we laughed because it was too funny, she went on and on :-).

But the party you are saying....

Well rookie mum me forgot to give the first set of kids (brothers) that left  the little goodie bag (a custom here for the party child to give out, as children leave, a little surprise bag, usually filled with sweets and maybe a little toy [but I had some bubble bath, bubbles and a little toy]). [but hey, better from last year where I didn't even prepare such bags].

I also forgot to pick her up on the chair (another custom - birthday child is picked up the amount of age s/he is plus one for next year) and well kind of remembered at the last minute.

I was also a bit awkward about how and when to do things. At one point my mother was pushing to bring out the cake. I wasn't keen as it is a sign that the party is almost over (and it was, imo, still early).

But you know, the cake, as in blowing out the candles.. While I practiced with Butterfly earlier in the day [with me at first holding the candle and her moving back just as she tries to blow it out, then letting her hold the burning candle and blowing it. yes, success. And then me sticking candles on the floor and asking her to blow them out. no success] didn't think we'll succeed in the party. Well she did!!

Yes, three candles. One for next year...

And oh cake #2, can you play guess where the chocolate was? I prouded myself with a no chocolate (and no usual party junk food) in the party. It's an orange-carrot cake, with a topping of a vanilla cream and fruit on top. Okay, back half a sentence. Vanilla cream and chocolate (chips) that is. Well I made the cream with a packed of vanilla pudding. Only when I was about to make the topping, on a very hot Friday morning when I have done enough shopping (only that morning went to get last minute milk and coffee, oh and Friday - that means shops are only open till about noon) did I see it contained chocolate chips (didn't see that when I bought it). Oh well.. There were also the mosquitoes, which however much I tried battling them, were still awful!! And the pretty necklace Butterfly didn't want to wear (because holy shmoly I tried taking off her amber necklace to put the other one on. this amber necklace has been round her neck since she was about 4 months, never [except once in the past and now] taken off since she was 5 months old.)

The party theme was bubbles. Originally I had a few ideas. around the subject, in addition to just blowing bubbles but I think they would have been mostly above my child's head at two. Maybe in the future... Anyway, I filled a big tub with bubble liquid I've made, had some wands and some bought bubbles, and the kids had a nice time blowing them. (Except one poor little girl whom I shall not name except tell you she is now sleeping in the other room with her party dress on,who got the solution in her eye and we kept rinsing it but she kept putting her soaped hand to it..) But all in all, it was a great party. There was plenty of food (I was a bit afraid there won't be enough), good atmosphere and most important, I think Butterfly had a great time!!

story behind pic: cleaning up after the party, we saw her sitting on the step ladder with this cheeky grin of hers (the one saying I'm doing something not allowed..), well coming closer, we saw a hole in the cake. So of course the camera had to come out....