Pre-Gaming for Princesses

Gracie’s birthday is coming up.

Oh, you didn’t know?

Then you must not have heard her the first 3,623 times she has reminded the entire world that her birthday is coming soon.  She is beyond excited.  I finally had to make a paper chain for her to count down the days until the Big Day so that she would quit asking me every single morning when she wakes up and then every single night when she goes to bed.

Last year, we had a big party for Gracie.  It was her first party with friends, and, to be honest, it completely overwhelmed her.  She is outgoing and loud when she’s in her comfort zones (namely school and home), but when she is somewhere new, she becomes really shy.  And – comfort zone or not – she does NOT like to be the center of attention.

I know that sounds impossible because she is such a funny little ham, but she does all those things without anyone paying attention to her.  When your actual attention is on Gracie, she is very shy and hesitant.

She’s a complicated child.

As is her mother.

God bless Chris.

So, this year, we have decided to go with a small group of friends, rather than inviting her entire class like we did last year.  I tried to think of an activity that I knew she would really love, and there is nothing Gracie loves more than really girly pampering.  She loves going to get her nails done with me, and Lord help me if I go without her.  She has woken me up in the middle of the night before and whispered accusingly, “Mommy, I see your nail polish.”

True story.

I hunted around online for some kind of kiddie spa, and found exactly what I was looking for – Sparkled Pink.  It is a spa made just for little girls.  I took Gracie there just after Christmas to check it out for her party, and it was absolutely perfect.  Completely, 100%, over-the-top girly, just like Gracie.  We invited 10 of her closest girlfriends for a completely girly, pampered princess-themed party.

We are having the party in the morning in a few weeks, and so I decided to serve donuts, fruit, and yogurt as the food.  I’m buying a case of the yogurt tubes at the grocery store, and I placed an order for a fruit platter when I ordered her cake (yes, we are having cake AND donuts… don’t judge me on birthdays… I cannot be helped…).  I am going to pick up two dozen donuts and an order of Munchkin Holes at Dunkin Donuts on the morning of the party and – BAM! – food is served.

The nice thing about having a birthday party at a location is that they provide all the entertainment.  We stuck a little note in the invitation envelopes instructing the girls to come dressed as their favorite princess for the party. Dressing up is always HIGHLY entertaining – for the girls AND their moms!

They will each get a manicure and pedicure, and then I opted to add a princess tea party with pink lemonade to our party package ($15! What a steal!).  In the party room at the back of the store, they have a little stage, so we are also going to set up some Frozen karaoke.

For party favors, I went to Amazon and ordered all the parts and Gracie and I put the goody bags together this afternoon.

Each bag has two Disney Princesses nail polishes, a ring pop (to show off their freshly manicured hands, of course!), and a set of pink finger and toes separators.  Then, I tied each of them with pink and white curling ribbon.  VOILA!

I am so excited about this party!  This is why I love having a daughter.  Baseball fields are SO much fun, but tiny, princess-sized spas are EVEN BETTER!!!!!!!!

*************

Details:  Cellophane goody bags from here; Disney nail polish from here, finger and toe separators from here, Frozen ring pops from here, but I found them at Party City near my house for only $2.00 a bag; Sparkled Pink info here.