Scarlett's 3rd Bday Party

This month I'm hosting playgroup at my house.  I decided to celebrate Scarlett's bday during this week's playgroup instead of having a separate party (no need to clean the house more than necessary!)

The night before her bday party Jake and I set up some decorations, balloons, and cake.  When she came downstairs in the morning she said "mommy and daddy aprized (surprised) me for my birthday?!?" then she just hugged us each for like a minute.  SO CUTE!

Scarlett had a blast!  There were kids running around everywhere!  The twins loved watching all the commotion.  I spent most of the morning playing share police.  I think play group is always hardest on the host family's kid.  Everyone touching their stuff... I totally understand it.  But I think it's an important skill to learn.  So we host, even though we cry for most of it.  Luckily there's a Daniel Tiger Jingle for that (DaTingle?) "You can take a turn, and then I'll get it back."  We spent the entire morning singing that silly little song... 

The twins got dressed up for the party too - they sported their first pony tails!!!

Scarlett loved when everyone sang to her.  In fact, "Happy Birthday to Scarlett" has become a regular nighttime song request.  She had a great day and keeps talking about when "all my friends came to my party."

I borrowed Laura's cool cone holders to make cupcakes in ice cream cones.  You back the batter in the cone - easy for the kids to eat and holds just the right amount of cake.  They worked much better than regular cupcakes or even slices of cake.  I need to remember to do this again!  (notes to myself: one box made 36 cones, filled only half way - til the radius changed, bake at 325 for 20 min, needed 2 cans of frosting, added 2 spoons of powered sugar to each frosting to make it stiff enough to hold the design, need to remember to put sprinkles on immediately after frosting cause it sets up fast)

Scarlett did have to go into time out during her party for having a HUGE MELTDOWN over sharing her balloons.  You see, Scarlett loves balloons.  Jake accidentally popped a blue balloon of hers one time and she often brings up that "daddy broke my blue balloon."  Recently he sent yellow latex shrapnel all over our living room which became another tragic memory of Scarlett's.  This time though he stayed away from the normal balloons and bought these more robust plastic balloons.  Scarlett was doing fine with sharing for most of the event.  Finally she had her huge meltdown.  I understand that she should have some stuff that belongs to just her.  Before playgroup started we took her toys that are "special to me" (as she says) and we hid them in her room.  Like her puppy, Marshall.  And after we sang to her, I should have followed my gut and just moved the balloons into her room too.  But I didn't.  I paid the price for that oversight.  Luckily we were able to smooth things over and get back to partying.

The twins were great.  I fed them and they went down for naps.  What good little sleepers they are!!!  This is a picture of how I usually feed them their bottles.... in case you were wondering... ;-)