Hall Family: Happy Birthday AJ!

We celebrated AJ's birthday with a Sesame Street themed party! It was so much fun. We had a lot of the people we love come--and our special guest was ELMO himself!

I get really into planning these parties. Everyday I had another decoration idea. I made a big mistake though, I didn't get too many decoration pictures before people got to our house! Sad, I know--time just escaped me and I ran out of time to take them before people arrived! I had SO much fun planning this party, although there are quite a few things I will do differently next year (not at my house and catered so I can enjoy it!). We had so much--5 dozen balloons, 2 cakes, an Oscar the Grouch trashcan, sesame colored table clothes and flowers, Sesame Street toys galore, Ernie in a tub with rubber duckies, and so much more! Here is one picture I got:

Some kids were really afraid of Elmo, but not AJ! He loved him! Notice one of AJ's friends scared in the background--Dylan was hiding under the table during hiding go seek and Elmo 'found' him, which scared the living daylights out of Dylan since Dylan wasn't actually playing the game--but was really hiding!

Playing musical chairs with Elmo.

Face painting during one of Elmo's much needed breaks (I need breaks too!):

Saying goodbye to Elmo! Some of the kids were happy to see him leave, but some of them really enjoyed him and hugged him as he left! Elmo was awfully hot in that outfit--as proof of him laying down on my stairs and then in my neighbors driveway!

The cakes. Yes, I HAD to have two cakes for AJ's birthday--One yummy sheet cake and then I couldn't resist the Elmo shaped cupcakes. Cupcakes aren't anything special, flavor wise, so I got the sheet cake too. What--AJ is worth it! I know you are judging me :), but we actually needed both cakes--we didn't have much left at the end of the party!

Time to sing Happy Birthday! AJ loves being center of attention--here is a picture of him just after blowing out the candles!

Who says you can't have your cake AND eat it too? AJ loved his cake--he is great eating with utensils all on his own now!

Two of my bestest friends and their kiddos (Maggie is my other best friend, but she couldn't make it as she lives in CA): Lauren and McKenna and Clare and Daniel!