Tiana Birthday Party

I'm not embarassed to tell you that I dream about my children's birthday parties at night.  And not just the weeks preceeding their birthday.  I am talking about one month after their birthday concludes I am thinking about what we could do next year.  It's not as though the parties are super elaborate.  The last three years it's been just our family gathering for dinner and presents.  But it is just so fun to do cakes and decorating and a meal that honors the person we love!   Hallie and I thought of several options this year . . . a Fancy Nancy party, a Pinkalicious party, Wonder Pets party or a Princess party.  Hallie just kept telling me she wanted a Belle cake and Tiana cake and Jasmine cake.  In the end we settled on Tiana.  Especially after we found gorgeous posters of her at Dollar Tree!  Once we knew we were going Princess and the Frog theme, Hallie thought of her dinner . . . Gumbo!  Hallie had never had Gumbo before, but that is what Tiana loves to make in the movie.  Hallie instructed me "Gumbo is like soup!"  So we rounded out the menu New Orleans style.

My mom and I had so much fun picking out candy for our candy bar.  Lily pads were apple sour rings, gator eggs were watermelon jelly bellies, sour patch kids were voo-doo dolls, and australian apple licorice were bayou boats.  It was a hot day, and we didn't want to fry the beignets, so we bought powdered sugar doughnuts and pretended they were the "man-catching beignets" Tiana makes in the movie.

Hallie was determined to cook just like Tiana. So she "helped" me chop by holding on to my arm (she insisted). Then she stirred up the Gumbo throughout the process.  In the background, we played The Princess and the Frog soundtrack.

The funny thing is, once we poured the Gumbo over a bed of rice, I don't think Hallie touched it.  But she loved making it and I don't think she regretted making that her dinner of choice considering how authentic it was to Tiana.  Thankfully, Claire loved the spicy concoction and downed it heartily.

 

 

We have a tradition of decorating the birthday chair.

We called Grandpa Wynn on the web camera so he could witness the present opening frenzy.

What a fun night to share between our little family.  And what a fun way to spoil our favorite four-year-old.

And by the way, Claire's birthday is seven months away and I am totally thinking Minnie Mouse!