In typical fashion i spread myself so thin this summer that it's a miracle i didn't implode. Picture six weeks straight of daily swim lessons. SIX weeks!! rain or shine. not to mention tennis, dance, and gymnastics, all gloriously piled on top of a full work schedule. did i mention the potty training? Who needs sleep?! (and before wagging your finger at me for overbooking my children and effectively ruining their childhood you should know they were 100% on board... with the occasional 1% day mixed in of course).
Summer is bonkers busy, as every mom can attest. Which is why i had visions of nothing more than a glorified playdate for my sons 3rd birthday. What toddler needs anything more than a sunny afternoon mixed with a couple friends and a slip-n-slide? That's how it started, but as the big day loomed closer and other parties were attended, his expectations were clearly light years beyond what i had anticipated. The mommy guilt got to me. Next thing you know, i'm frantically whipping up last minute "Lion King" themed invitations, scouring party stores for décor and favors, and staying up til the wee hours of the morning stressing over a menu. note to self: one should not lose sleep over what to feed 3 year olds. Ultimately the only thing we needed was a Piñata. Voila, it's a party. Best $8 dollars i ever spent.
All in all it was an easy event, and loads of balloons made for a festive atmosphere. Our itinerary included: a slip-n-slide (or rather, a huge sheet of plastic from Home Depot), squirt guns, trampoline covered with colorful plastic balls, buffet of "bug" candies, a taco bar, piñata, and of course cake and party favors! We also had lion masks for the kids to color but ran out of time for frivolous extras.
So as not to waste any effort, i'm sharing the invitation and tags. Click on the "freebie" link below if you'd like to adapt these for your own fiesta!
Now that my little man is three he's developed a major new obsession... any guesses as to the likely theme of next year's party?
