Chloe's "Tangled" Birthday Party

If you follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram, you know I've been working on Chloe's 3rd Birthday party for awhile now.  She requested a Rapunzel theme, so that's what she got.  

Lucky little stinker.

She was so excited for weeks leading up the party, and was with me every step of the way.  She loved taking trips to "The Party Store" and finding "'Apunzel" things anywhere she could spot them to add to the party plans.  The day before the party, Jessame came to help me with the cake.  I did the baking and frosting-making, and put my two bits in about how I wanted it done, and she did the decorating.  

Jessame and I stayed up literally all night working on the final preparations.  At 6am, after I had put the soup in the crockpots for the lunchtime party guests that would be arriving, we went to bed and slept for about two hours before it was time to get up and finish things up.  

Wes went and got chairs from the church and ran last-minute errands while Jessame, my mom and I finished up final preparations and got the food all ready and set out.  It was quite the crazy day!  We ended up having about 32 people, including us.  Chloe was thrilled to be the center of attention and have everyone call her "Princess Chloe."  

(What three-year-old wouldn't?)

I know a lot of people probably think I'm nuts for trying to put together such an elaborate, stressful, time-consuming birthday party when she probably would've been just as happy with a soft serve cone and a trip to the park, but if you could only have seen the look on her face when she came down on the morning of the party, you'd see that it was definitely all worth it to me.  Three year olds believe in magic and appreciate every little detail, and none more than Chloe.  

On to the party photos:

 Chloe had been begging for that Mylar Rapunzel balloon all summer every time we went to Macey's.  She was beside herself with excitement when her daddy brought it home that morning for her. 

Outside:

Chloe and Cache took advantage of the bar stools being out of the way and spent some time hanging out with Grandpa Petersen under the counter.  (These pictures made me realize I should probably take a rag to the cupboard there once in awhile...)

 The Cake:

 Aunt Jessie relaxing with Cache for about thirty seconds in between guests arriving.  

Then Chloe had to get in on the photo:

 The anticipation was killing her.

 Chloe with her 'Apunzel Cake.

 Chloe and Aunt Jessie with the cake.

 All ready to party!

 Cache played the supportive little brother role.  As long as he had a "'boon" in his hand, his life was good.  It's a good thing there's six months in between their birthdays so I have plenty of time to recover from this party.  He should probably make his theme request soon so I can get myself mentally prepared...

 Chloe and Mommy.  She asked me all week if I would be coming to her party.  I told her I'd do my best. ;-)

 The spread, minus the crockpots of soup which we sat in a different place.  I made Taco Soup with all the fixings and White Chicken Chili.  My mom brought Cheesy Broccoli Vegetable soup with homemade croutons to go on top.  They were all three hits!  I also made braided breadsticks (you know, to go with the Rapunzel theme), and we had nice relish and veggie trays.  

And of course, cake. :)

 The party guests, enjoying their lunch.  There were more in the other room that I didn't get a chance to take pictures of.

 The only party game we played was "Pin the Nose on Flynn Rider."  If you've seen the movie, you know that he is on "Wanted" posters all over the kingdom and is horrified, not that he's on wanted posters, but that they "just can't get his nose right!"  We did it tournament style, since we had so many people, and everyone got in on the fun.  Grandpa ended up taking it all, in the end...though there may have been a bit of leniency involved in regards to his adherence (or lack thereof) to the "no feeling around" rule. ;-)

  Then it was time to sing to the birthday girl and cut the cake.  But not before a couple more photo op's:

 She was one proud little girl.

 We took one with her Halloween Rapunzel wig on, just for good measure.

 Then she just wanted to be left alone with her cake.  

 One last close-up of the tower:

 And a close-up of the cake plates.  (Frying pans, get it?)

 Last, she got to open her gifts.  The highlight of the gift opening was when she opened her present from my parents and I told her to tell them thank you.  She had already hugged and kissed several gift-givers, and was kind of over the whole "getting up to hug people" in between thing.  She sort of tossed a kiss to my mom, and then looked at my dad.  When she saw him, she stood up and ran over to him.  My mom was feeling a little rejected, since she hadn't wanted to hug her, until it became clear why Chloe had ran over to him: He was holding a little bowl of raspberries.  Without a kiss or a word, she took the bowl of raspberries back to her little present-opening spot, and proceeded to pop them in her mouth one by one, totally oblivious to the fact that we were all laughing uproariously at her.  Once the last raspberry was popped in her mouth...it probably only took thirty seconds...she didn't skip a beat and started in on the next present.  I guess she needed a little sugar to make it through that big ol' pile of gifts!

 She got a lot of lovely gifts: Sleeping Beauty on BluRay, the Aristocats, a princess Anna dress-up, a princess nightgown, an Elsa nightgown, two Melissa & Doug toys, a Rapunzel Doll, several books and nice outfits, etc etc.  She loved all of them, and we were very appreciative of everyone who came to enjoy our sweet girlie on her birthday and help make it special for her.

She may have requested a little leftover cake and ice cream for breakfast the next morning.  Ehh, what was I to do?  (At least it was applesauce cake, right? ;-))

* * *

Chloe just loves life, and we feel so lucky and blessed to have such a wonderful little girl in our family.  She can be challenging at times (as can all children), but she is a wonderful sister and friend, an enthusiastic shopper, and she has a kind and tender heart.  She's also hilarious and fashion-conscious...what more could a mom ask for? ;-)  

Happy Third Birthday, Chloe!  

(Next year you get a cupcake and a Happy Meal.)