Too Many Birthday Parties for One Little Girl

On June 30th, Amelia officially turned five years old. But this year was particularly celebratory, mainly because Amelia had two birthday parties.

What was I thinking, you ask? I wasn't--or maybe just not clearly enough.

We had a birthday party for neighborhood and school friends and a party for family. They were both full of water, play, sweet things to eat, and lots of childish squeals (mostly from Evan).

Just kidding about the last part.

Amelia received mounds of presents--thank you to all who contributed. She'll need not a single toy until her next birthday. (However, what she needs and wants are two very different things.) Some of her favorite gifts included anything from High School Musical, art or craft projects, cooking projects, Littlest Pet Shop toys, pajamas, purses and money, chocolate, clothes and jewelry, water toys, books and puzzles, and dolls with matching dogs.

Below are some images of the Littlest Pet Shop themed neighborhood party:

In the Arizona morning sunshine, kids squeezed in the slide/basketball hoop/ring toss play pool. It was surprisingly small, but the kids did not seem to care. There was also a water table thanks to the Stewart cousins and a three-lane slip 'n slide, thanks to the Griffins.

Amelia is pretending to sleep here because she said that she was worn out!

Dylan wasn't digging the water play, so he stayed inside with Aunt Deb and others where it was a bit cooler.

Amelia opened presents with all the party guests watching on the couch. Each of the 15 little guests sat on towels on the couch holding their party bags, which contained a Pet Shop toy, a crafty house they made for that toy, and candy from two different pinatas (the first one broke too soon--thank heaven I had a back-up).

This is what Dylan did while Amelia opened her presents. What a party pooper!

Actually, at this point, I think that he did have poop in his pants.

Then, at the family party...

First, we swam, splashed, and floated.

Dylan was not crazy about this part.

But Brody was.

Next, we smashed a pinata.

The Rogers and Speakman boys were fierce. But the girls held their own.

If I'm not mistaken, Amelia actually broke the "Nemo" pinata.

Chloe did not like that we were beating Nemo.

(Crew took his turn while I had to change film. Sorry that Crew is not pictured here!)

Last, we had cupcakes and Amelia opened her High School Musical presents.

Yes, they were mostly High School Musical themed--dolls, a movie, pajamas, notebooks, a white board...

And Amelia was ecstatic.

Here's the cupcake crew.

Wow. That was exhausting...and fun.

Now I'm done.