Sunday wrapped up a weeks worth of celebrating Audrey's 3rd birthday. After church we rushed home to throw on casual clothes, then we were out the door to Lazy Bones in Grapevine. I had to stop along the way to pick up M&Ms (they would have melted had I bought them any sooner) and a number 3 birthday candle. So I started out the day turbo stressed and knowing it wouldn't get any better until we were finally back home again.
Audrey likes to help Barker cook. Me, not so much. I really only let her stir or put stuff in the slow cooker. I won't let her near fun things like the oven or cook top. So he's more fun to cook with. So I thought, why not do a cooking party? I contacted several cooking schools but none would allow a party for children under 4. So I thought we'd just do it at home. Then my friend Jo suggested we have it at her restaurant since they have a pizza oven. And boy am I glad we went that route. I can't even imagine how frazzled I would have been with so many people in my house and trying to keep up with the timer on the oven on top of who's made a pizza, who needs a cupcake, who's done eating, etc. etc. So having it at Lazy Bones was a HUGE help and Jo and her husband Adam really were life savers.
So we started out having the kids take turns at a station of 4 or 5 to decorate their pizzas, then Jo and I would take them back to cook.
The birthday girl decorating her pizza one piece of cheese at a time.
But she soon dove right on in.
Barker noticed Cam looking around to see if anyone was watching....
then he snapped this pic of her sneaking ham! ha! Busted.
Then while the pizzas were cooking we let the kids decorate their chef hats and aprons.
Even the big kids like Will.
Peyton, Joc and baby KG.
After they colored on their aprons we sang happy birthday to Audrey.
lighting her candle
She was very excited.
making her wish
Then the chefs decorated their cupcakes.
Isabella
Ciara
Audrey decorated her sprinkles with a side of cupcake. She LOVES sprinkles.
Handsome Hank
Liam
It was so hectic trying to keep track of everything and make sure all the kids had eaten and received cupcakes, drinks, hats, and aprons that I didn't really get to chat much with any of the guests. I'm really looking forward to the day that Audrey just wants her party to be at the house with just a few of her friends coming over for a sleep over. The thought of having to throw parties for Barker, Audrey and the new baby every year is overwhelmingly stressful. I just don't handle crowds well. (Which is why I wanted to elope!) I would say one of my favorite things about being a stay at home mom is that I can run errands during the week when most people are at work. It's great going to Target and not having people all up in my personal space.
But Barker said he did get a few minutes to chat with a few of his friends.
Tom and Rebekah made it out with their beautiful babies Henry and Margaret.
And the Wallace family made it out as well.
(And for the record I'm almost 5 months pregnant in this pic. That belly isn't just from the 4 bites of pizza and 3 bites of cupcake I snuck in during all the madness.)
At the end of the party Audrey, Cam and Gray formed a girls group and performed some karaoke for us.
Audrey and the Heart BAKERS : )
I love our girls!
The birthday girl passed out as soon as I put her in the car. And I was ready to as well. I didn't get to sit down once during the party. I was done. Between standing in flats a ton at church and the entire time at the party by back was over it. So when we got home she woke up and we carried all the gifts into the downstairs guest room so we could curl up on the bed while she opened them.
She was amazed to see all the gifts stacked on the bed.
PAPER!
She really liked everything she received. But got super excited about this barbie head. I was too because that means my hair 'might' get a break. Audrey thinks I'm Rapunzel.
Right after the Barbie she opened this salon/beauty kit filled with hair tools like a 'straightener' and blow dryer. She actually did a little dance she was so stoked! They'll go together perfectly!
Reading her cards. She loves the ones that sing songs or make noise.
ballet!
loved this expression of 'whoa!'
And she got a few super cute personalized items as well, like this beach towel and a plate : )
She wanted to lay on the towel immediately. Like me, she likes embroidered items. She's such a girl.
And as soon as she was done opening the gifts she of course wanted her Daddy to help her play with them all.
First on the list was the Rapunzel wig.
People that haven't seen pictures of me at Audrey's age just see her occasionally squint her eyes like her Daddy and assume she looks like him, because I don't look a thing now like I did as a toddler. This picture is why I wish people would quit saying that in front of her. Poor Barker does not make a pretty girl. At all. This is in fact such a bad look that I'm thankful we didn't meet in the 80's. Even in a hair band he couldn't have pulled this look off. Yikes. But on the bright side, this wig will also give my hair a break from playing beauty salon with Audrey.
She wears the wig much better than my poor manly husband.
Then it was back to make overs.
He also got a good smearing of plastic lipstick.
Ringo and George got make overs, too.
She wanted him to open every gift but couldn't wait for him to get everything out of the box.
She gets her lack of patience from me.
So they played with it all...
left no Disney Princess toy unplayed with....
until we were past exhausted. She, on the other hand, was not done partying and after Barker put her to bed we heard her singing Happy Birthday to herself. Oh to have the energy of a 3 year old.
Whew! What a week. But she had so much fun that it was all worth it. My sweet girl had a very happy 3rd birthday and she was glad that so many of her friends and family came to her party to celebrate with her.
Audrey likes to help Barker cook. Me, not so much. I really only let her stir or put stuff in the slow cooker. I won't let her near fun things like the oven or cook top. So he's more fun to cook with. So I thought, why not do a cooking party? I contacted several cooking schools but none would allow a party for children under 4. So I thought we'd just do it at home. Then my friend Jo suggested we have it at her restaurant since they have a pizza oven. And boy am I glad we went that route. I can't even imagine how frazzled I would have been with so many people in my house and trying to keep up with the timer on the oven on top of who's made a pizza, who needs a cupcake, who's done eating, etc. etc. So having it at Lazy Bones was a HUGE help and Jo and her husband Adam really were life savers.
So we started out having the kids take turns at a station of 4 or 5 to decorate their pizzas, then Jo and I would take them back to cook.
The birthday girl decorating her pizza one piece of cheese at a time.
But she soon dove right on in.
Barker noticed Cam looking around to see if anyone was watching....
then he snapped this pic of her sneaking ham! ha! Busted.
Then while the pizzas were cooking we let the kids decorate their chef hats and aprons.
Even the big kids like Will.
Peyton, Joc and baby KG.
After they colored on their aprons we sang happy birthday to Audrey.
lighting her candle
She was very excited.
making her wish
Then the chefs decorated their cupcakes.
Isabella
Ciara
Audrey decorated her sprinkles with a side of cupcake. She LOVES sprinkles.
Handsome Hank
Liam
It was so hectic trying to keep track of everything and make sure all the kids had eaten and received cupcakes, drinks, hats, and aprons that I didn't really get to chat much with any of the guests. I'm really looking forward to the day that Audrey just wants her party to be at the house with just a few of her friends coming over for a sleep over. The thought of having to throw parties for Barker, Audrey and the new baby every year is overwhelmingly stressful. I just don't handle crowds well. (Which is why I wanted to elope!) I would say one of my favorite things about being a stay at home mom is that I can run errands during the week when most people are at work. It's great going to Target and not having people all up in my personal space.
But Barker said he did get a few minutes to chat with a few of his friends.
Tom and Rebekah made it out with their beautiful babies Henry and Margaret.
And the Wallace family made it out as well.
(And for the record I'm almost 5 months pregnant in this pic. That belly isn't just from the 4 bites of pizza and 3 bites of cupcake I snuck in during all the madness.)
At the end of the party Audrey, Cam and Gray formed a girls group and performed some karaoke for us.
Audrey and the Heart BAKERS : )
I love our girls!
The birthday girl passed out as soon as I put her in the car. And I was ready to as well. I didn't get to sit down once during the party. I was done. Between standing in flats a ton at church and the entire time at the party by back was over it. So when we got home she woke up and we carried all the gifts into the downstairs guest room so we could curl up on the bed while she opened them.
She was amazed to see all the gifts stacked on the bed.
PAPER!
She really liked everything she received. But got super excited about this barbie head. I was too because that means my hair 'might' get a break. Audrey thinks I'm Rapunzel.
Right after the Barbie she opened this salon/beauty kit filled with hair tools like a 'straightener' and blow dryer. She actually did a little dance she was so stoked! They'll go together perfectly!
Reading her cards. She loves the ones that sing songs or make noise.
ballet!
loved this expression of 'whoa!'
And she got a few super cute personalized items as well, like this beach towel and a plate : )
She wanted to lay on the towel immediately. Like me, she likes embroidered items. She's such a girl.
And as soon as she was done opening the gifts she of course wanted her Daddy to help her play with them all.
First on the list was the Rapunzel wig.
People that haven't seen pictures of me at Audrey's age just see her occasionally squint her eyes like her Daddy and assume she looks like him, because I don't look a thing now like I did as a toddler. This picture is why I wish people would quit saying that in front of her. Poor Barker does not make a pretty girl. At all. This is in fact such a bad look that I'm thankful we didn't meet in the 80's. Even in a hair band he couldn't have pulled this look off. Yikes. But on the bright side, this wig will also give my hair a break from playing beauty salon with Audrey.
She wears the wig much better than my poor manly husband.
Then it was back to make overs.
He also got a good smearing of plastic lipstick.
Ringo and George got make overs, too.
She wanted him to open every gift but couldn't wait for him to get everything out of the box.
She gets her lack of patience from me.
So they played with it all...
left no Disney Princess toy unplayed with....
until we were past exhausted. She, on the other hand, was not done partying and after Barker put her to bed we heard her singing Happy Birthday to herself. Oh to have the energy of a 3 year old.
Whew! What a week. But she had so much fun that it was all worth it. My sweet girl had a very happy 3rd birthday and she was glad that so many of her friends and family came to her party to celebrate with her.
