Partyin' 3-Year-Old Style

Aria had a hard time picking what she wanted for her cake/theme this year on her birthday.  Some of the ideas she suggested included: Grover, Thomas, Dora, Hello Kitty, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, candy cane, guitar, piano, and probably more that I forgot.  I couldn't decide which one I thought she would like most because she likes all those things.  Finally, it came to me; an idea she didn't even suggest.  I've mentioned a few times that Aria LOVES Wild Animal Baby Explorers.  It used to be a magazine she got in the mail, but it was discontinued.  Her love for them, however, is not discontinued.  She owns the movies thanks to the grandparents at Christmas time and quotes them constantly.  They are little known and you can't really get any memorabilia since they aren't in print anymore.  So, I got creative.  In each movie the wild animal babies, Sammy, Skip, Benita, Izzy, and Miss Sally, go exploring and they travel in a hot air balloon.  Aria loves hot air balloons anyway, so that is what we went with.

The brightly colored cupcakes for the "basket"

Add 3 craft sticks, a balloon, and a character, and you have hot air balloon cupcakes!

Not every cupcake was a balloon because they wouldn't have fit on the counter.

The play hot air balloon in the living room.  It's just a box with streamers attached to the ceiling.  Aria absolutely loved it!  And so did her friends!

Originally, my idea for her party with friends was to have a pizza factory.  When everyone arrived, we did a scavenger hunt in the basement for all the pizza making supplies.  Here is what they searched for:

Then each child got a pizza crust and their requested toppings and made a pizza!

I forgot to take a picture before they started eating, but here are the finished pizzas!

I think they all had a lot of fun!  Making pizza, or just helping me cook in general, is one of Aria's favorite things, and my goal on her birthday is to do her favorite things.  I know she felt extra special on her birthday this year!

And one more photo because it is so cute.  Grandmas always seem to attract the kids.  :)