Princess Party

My Anna turned 3 on Saturday, July 28, but I wanted to celebrate her birthday while my mom was still in town, because this was going to be Anna's first real friend party, and I knew I would need reinforcements!

Is there anything more exciting than waking up on your birthday to crepe paper and balloons in your very favorite color?  Anna wanted a bonafide pink princess party, and I was determined to give it to her, come hell, highwater, or Benjamin!

I channeled the spirit of a dear friend who is excellent at crafts and planning her kid's birthday parties.  I decided that we would do some crown decorating to get the party started, so I bought some sheets of colored foam and some jewel stickers and used a template to cut out crown shapes.  It was easy and the girls (and boy) loved it!

After crown decorating, it was dancing time!  After all, these girls (and boy) were all dressed up for a ball, so we turned on the bubble machine, the Disney tunes, and let them go crazy!

This is Sam, the lone boy in attendance.  He came appropriately dressed as a knight, to protect his damsels not in distress.

Dancing for Anna has always included a lot of jumping.  Each attendee also got a pink magic wand.

After dancing, it was time to play "princess, princess, dragon" (aka duck duck goose)

Anna took the liberty of running around the circle during every persons turn.  She is the birthday girl, and what she wants, she gets!  And yes, that is me at the top of the circle.  I had so much fun at this party too!

Then we closed the party with a good old fashioned, royal tea party

We had tea sandwiches, pink candy popcorn, watermelon, strawberries, and hot dogs (which are also pink, in a manner of speaking).  And of course, a pink princess cake.  I was very proud of this cake, because it was easy and looked beautiful.  I found this Happy Birthday tiara at the store and knew it would make a simple but perfect cake topper.

And that is one happy 3 year old!!