an excessive book history party

As my sister says, "with your first you do all sorts of crazy things, like extravagant birthdays."  Yes, you are right, I probably won't want to do this again in the future.  Actually, I will, but I won't likely have weeks to prepare like I have here!  I thought it was fun but possibly a bit excessive and I worry that I spoil Anna too much.  But oh well!  Can't be a fuddy duddy tightwad all the time I guess!

So Anna requested a book history party for her birthday.  Yes, she likes museums and books.  But she also likes ponies, so I added in a bit of pony.  I saw a cake that I fell in love with and had to make her.  It took a long time but was SO MUCH FUN.

We took went to a chalk art festival a few weeks ago.  A few days after that my nieces painted with chalk on our foundation of our apartment.  The two mingled and I decided to make a chalk mural for anna for her birthday on our foundation.  I've been drawing it for weeks.  It too was SO MUCH FUN.  Shown is fancy nancy, chicka chicka boom boom, little critter, fred and ted, little blue truck, curious george, not the hippopotomus, strega nona, hungry catapillar, tawny scrawny lion, madeline

I didn't take a picture of the party favors, but Anna and I make signs that said book worms, she colored them.  Then we researched the history of book worms and typed it up on the label.  We put gummy worms in a sack and put the label on.  Then we went to savers and bought 50 cent books for the cousies.  We also made some book plates on the computer.

We made banners out of old books and coloring pages (above and below table).   Anna did the pasting and some cutting (she still hasn't mastered that skill).  The tablecloth is a sheet, isn't it cute?

I planned kid friendly food based on books.  Stinky cheese man, cloudy with a chance of meatballs, pb+jelly sandwiches, if you give a mouse a cookie, i like fruit, peter rabbits carrots, green eggs and ham (sandwiches).  Mostly the food just got devoured, which is good.  Rich helped me with the purchasing and Joyce helped with the cooking (thank you Joyce!  I would have never got done without you!).

Then for the activities we made party hats out of construction paper.

And....what anna loved the most (more than presents even she reports!) was the plays that everyone performed.  Most memorable to her was aunt amy's stage.  Most memorable to me was aunt viriginia's dinosaurs and grandpa being the big bad wolf.  We put them all on you tube in case you want to be bored!  Although we missed most of gpas becuase we ran out of space.  So fun though.

the crowd just before starting.

 the York's performance of "three little bears"

 the Heiner's Performance of "how do dinosaurs say goodnight" - anna loved it as you can see

 the Heiner/York/Buhler performance of "The 3 Little Pigs"

 Grandpa Heiner was hilarious, esp when he got boiled in a pot.

the Buhler's performance of the Little Red Hen was adorable.  Especially Julia who was the Goose (she ate the goose).

So yeah, then I was hoping no one would bring presents, but they all did!  And so!  Anna had a bunch bunch of stuff to open and she was polite.  Though I wish she would have said more thank-you's, I don't know what to expect for a three year old.

 best family photo we got.  Julia in a choke hold with her belly out, rich and I look good though.

 Stack of presents from Grandma Heiner

 PONIES PONIES PONIES!  Grandma H knows how to please!

 bike basket from Daddy.  We wish she was more excited about riding the bike.

 Dino tail from Aunt Virginia, so cute.

 Books to go with the Dino tail.

 Sand and Water table from Aunt Amy.

 Beautiful dress from Uncle steven.  WHERE is the picture of grandma buhlers present????!!!  I think I was too excited about it and so I was looking instead of taking pictures.  They got her some books that I am really excited to read to her, a dress that everyone gushed over and a soccer ball, that she wanted to share with Remi.

Later, in her room playing ponies with Aunt Jilly.

 Brave sing-a-long starring Aunt Amy

 Cherie divvying out the cotton candy!

 Playing with Balloons.

 cotton candy coma.  if blue food dye is toxic we will all be dead tomorrow.

 the MEN

 again....blue food dye.

 the day ended with multiple rainbows, the smallest of which I got a picture of.  Pretty fitting for a rainbow pony birthday cake.

 Some games of hide a seek, ring around the rosie and red-rover-red-rover

 and remi drinking rain water after the storm (it pounded just when the party was finished)

zacharie

It was so much fun.  A lot of work but I liked it.  I love my family and like to plan fun things for us to do together.  Thank you for all the love you give to Miss Anna!

Anna is 3!

It's been a fun day.  Richard had to go to work early and he couldn't stand not seeing his little girl, so he woke her up to give her luvs.  Anna helped me make a birthday banner yesterday and I had put it up overnight, so she was excited about that.  Then she kissed daddy goodbye and I asked her what she wanted for breakfast.   Oatmeal.  I tried to talk her into pancakes or waffles.  No go, oatmeal.  I did buy her blueberries last night, so she got some of those too.

After bfast I asked her what she wanted to do.  She said "make our house beautiful".  Im not sure what that would have entailed, so I gave her a few more options.  I mentioned museums, water parks, reading, libraries, and grandmas house.  Anna voted grandmas house.  I asked what she wanted to do there: cook, hike, eat, play at park, play with toys.  Anna said "watch a movie."  So after a shower, which anna loves, off we went at 8 am to watch a movie at grandmas house. 

 She is really into putting her own shoes on lately.  Her favorite are these glittery ones from grandma buhler.

 She is also adamant about doing up her own shoulder strap on her carseat.  She chose her own outfit today too and put it on.  She is growing up!  Must be 3.

 Grandma got her a present.  She was a brat and after she opened it she threw it at grandma.  She was expecting ponies and she got clothes.  we had a little lesson about that, hopefully it will be better on saturday!

 Grandpa tried to make her happy by wearing flip flops on his ears.

 She came around quick and tried on the ballet jammies and wore the new outfit around today.

So then to the movie. I encouraged peter pan since grandma buhler may be taking her to see it live tomorrow.  She loved it.  Grandma popped her some popcorn and watched for a few minutes, but then had to deliver some flowers so she left.  The pic of them is published on the post before this one.

After movie it was time for snack.  Anna wanted ice cream.  It's her birthday so I said okay.  Plus at grandma you can make a really small ice cream cone, which anna didn't finish anyways.  But julia at all of hers no problem.

After ice cream Anna said she wanted to go to a museum with grandpa.  She politely asked if he would go with her and off we went.  we originally planned to go to the planet museum, but i hadn't taken her to the church history museum yet so we went there.  WE also walked around temple square but I didn't take any pictures.  She got to help build nephi's boat and fish out of it.  she thought that was fun.

Here she is being a brat again.  I wanted a pic with her and grandpa and she would not do it.  ah well.  at least julia is still sweet in her young age.

 AFter the museum we took grandpa home and had lunch.  Of all the choices I gave her she chose a hot dog and cold cereal with milk.  Two things we never have at our house.  Although maybe we should, they were yummy!  After lunch we ditched grandma and met up with our friends from Portland JJ and LL!  We went to liberty park and played in the water and on the play structure.  The two played as if they have been living by eachother still for the past 6 months.  awesome.  thanks for letting us crash your family party trina!

JJ is quiet the acrobat and anna tried to follow in her footstep, i was glad to see she is getting braver and stronger.  We went home after that, much to anna's dismay.  She never wants to go home.  On the way I calle dher dad and said i was picking up wendys.  then I missed the drive thu and got stuck in traffic and changed my mind.  When I got home rich was excited to take anna out to eat so we did.  I just wanted to come home after being gone all day.

 we gave her the choice of pizza or burgers, she chose pizza.  we went to a NY pizza joint by our house and got california veggie.  it was worth the 20 bucks we spent.  Im so happy that anna is an adventurous eater and likes everything.  She colored while we waited and demanded milk to drink.

 Aunt Joy called.  Anna wishes she could be at her party but will get over it. (:
Here is julia feeding daddy ice.

 cutie.

mushroom, artichoke, tomato pesto pizza.  yum.

 When we got home she put on her ballet jammies (thank you grandma she loves them!) and did some ballet.  this is tendu

 Pirouette

 Plie

 PUzzle from JJ.  (THANK YOU JJ AND TRINA)  We love the presents.  Just exactly up annas alley.  She loves those puzzles and care bears, she loves books (esp about bugs) and she can't wait for the dinos to grow.  She has checked at least 5 times tonight and Im sure it will be the first thing she thinks of in the morning!

I read her a book, daddy read her a book, did her puzzle again and then to bed.  She loved her day so much she didn't want to stay there so I had to take away her ponies.  But now she's asleep.  Oh how we love this little girl.