The Party Itself!

Some scenes from Frances's Big 4 party!

Nothing like a good snuggle with a friend to start out a party?

This is one of a very few times I held Chandler during the party.  She was a trooper about being passed from one person to the next while her mother ran around doing party things.  And we had such good friends who didn't seem to mind passing her around at all.

Theo kept himself entertained with a train.  The little boys mostly observed the big boys, who were up to big boy things.

Mark had put together great art supplies for the kids to take home as party favors, but no one told the kids that.  They just opened them up and started creating.  It was a great distraction.  I think Sophia had some of Frances's lipstick on in this picture.  Frances is obsessed with lipstick.      

Dave helped maintain the calm by up-ending any kid who happened by.

Frances is also a fan of My Little Pony lately, so we tried some Pin The Tail on Rainbow Dash.  It was very amusing - at least for me.

Then it was cake time!

Left to right, we've got Tyler, Adler, Sophia, Kealakai (hiding behind Mark's hand), Mark, and Frances.

Let's see - starting at the head of the table and ignoring the adults - we've got Akea, Tyler, Adler, Sophia, Kealakai (with Theo behind), Frances, Valentina and Darby, everyone except Cobi, who was probably on his mama's hip.

Then gifts (we stuck with the basic birthday party structure).

I like all the girls looking at Tyler here.  "What are you up to over there?"

See the wonderment on Frances's face?  She was receiving a great big, pink princess dress, with a tiara, clip-on earrings, shoes and a purse.  She was a tad pleased.  That night, Princess Frances slept in the dress, hoop skirt and all.

And then there was the chapter book her mother got her.  She looks thrilled, no?

In my defense, she keeps talking about chapter books so I thought she might like Mercy Watson, which happens to be a chapter book.  (She's learning to love it, says me.)

And then everybody left and we had oodles of cake left over.  Birthday Party #4 successfully accomplished!