Minnie Mouse Birthday Party

My little girl is 3! Kinsey is currently obsessed with Minnie Mouse thanks to our Disneyland vacation, so I decided to stick with the theme for her birthday party. It worked out pretty perfectly that it was a girls only party since we're big on the color pink. Even though I spent way too many hours on the details than a 3-year-old cares about (thank you, Pinterest) I'm happy with the way it all turned out! I love being able to give my kids themed parties because I never had that growing up. 

I made a bean bag toss for the party. It turned out way cuter than my Pinterest example, but the 3-year-olds didn't really care about the game. Oh well.  

I almost did a photo booth but decided that would be better for older kids. Kinsey must have heard me talking about it because she turned the bean bag toss into a photo op! How can you not love this girl? 

I went a little crazy with the food table. But it was totally worth it. 

To start off, the girls got their very own Minnie Mouse plates. 

Then, of course, we had Mickey Mouse shaped sandwiches. The bowls are also purposely placed to look like Mickey Mouse.  

The watermelon was also shaped like Mickey! I made the mistake of getting a watermelon with seeds, though. It had been so long since I've SEEN watermelon with seeds that I didn't even think to avoid them. At least the bowl looked good (thanks Eric)! 

I LOVED these cookies!! They ended up being bite size which was perfect to pop into your mouth. The cookies probably took the longest out of anything I did, but Kinsey enjoyed helping me make them (and eating the extras). 

The cupcakes were probably my favorite! The bows were harder to make than they look and I know it's not perfect, but I think they turned out really well. They are mini cupcakes which are easy to eat in one bite and not worry about making a mess. I love it! 

All the little girls shared a picnic table for lunch. It's so adorable watching girls their age play together. 

My beautiful birthday girl! I love that she is best friends with some of my best friends' kids! 

We ate cupcakes right after lunch because the girls couldn't handle the temptation of them sitting on the table. 

Then we played Pin the Bow on Minnie. We didn't blindfold the kids because I thought that would freak them out, so I just told them to close their eyes. Basically, they reached out their arms and Eric walked them right into the board. Kaylie was at the perfect height to place her bow and Kinsey was a close second (I think). 

Our next activity was the piñata. This was my very first time making a piñata. Didn't it turn out beautiful!!? 

Of course little kids don't have too much power in them, so they all did a round with no success. 

 Then I helped each of them do a round with a tiny bit of success. 

And then my brother beat the piñata so the kids could gather their candy. It was pretty obvious who the aggressive ones were based on the amount of candy in their bag. 

Scarlett and Shayla stayed away from the kids for the most part, but we let them grab a couple pieces of candy. They were pretty intimidated by everyone, but I'm sure that will all change next year. 

Of course, the year we don't do a water party it was REALLY hot, so we decided to cool off inside and open some presents. 

 A few of the girls fought over this tea set and the Minnie Mouse cash register. 

 I'm so grateful for birthdays because I never know what toys to get Kinsey as she gets older. It's great seeing everyone else's ideas! 

But we did make sure Kinsey got a bike (from Grandma Fullmer) and this awesome helmet that makes me giggle every time I see her in it. She gets frustrated easily on the bike, but she'll get the hang of it soon enough. I can't wait to go on bike rides with her! 

When presents were over the kids all colored in their homemade Minnie Mouse coloring books (thanks Grandma Walker) and ate their piñata candy. 

Then we headed downstairs to play with toys and watch Minnie Mouse shows. 

I love these girls!! 

It was a great birthday party! I'm so glad Kinsey had all her friends there to play with. Thank you to everyone who joined us!! 

The Twins are 1 1/2!

Sometimes having a twin is like looking in the mirror. I love finding pictures of Scarlett and Shayla acting like a mirror image of the other. Quite a few people have told me the twins are looking more alike as they get older. It's difficult for me to see because I know them better than anyone, but looking back at pictures from a year ago I can definitely see what people are talking about. How did I not see how similar they look? 

Their similarities pretty much end with their looks. These two are SOOO different. If anything, Shayla and Kinsey are kindred spirits. I don't notice the "twin bond" some people speak of, but my heart melts when I see these two hug, giggle together, and chase each other around the house. 

These two LOVE baths, swimming, and anything to do with the water. They could play in the water all day if I let them. And lately I do not let them stay in the bath for too long because they have had a terrible habit of pooping in the tub. It happens at least once a week and is soooo annoying. I have to sanitize everything! 

They color a little bit but don't seem to have too much patience for it. They would rather collect the crayons and carry them around the house. 

Kinsey used to make me read to her for hours, but these two won't have that. Shayla rarely makes it through one book, and Scarlett tries to turn the pages on me while I'm reading. At least she will make it through a few books and likes to point at the pictures. Scarlett also likes the touch and feel books.  

All in all, I think my children would just prefer being outside and exploring. 

SCARLETT

Scarlett's personality has definitely shone these last few months. She has always been my sweet, cuddly little angel, but she also has a goofy side. For example, she discovered her eyebrows and for a few days just scowled at us constantly. 

Scarlett hasn't always been the vocal twin. In fact, Shayla started babbling and saying words earlier but then Scarlett just shot ahead. She is my little talker now and loves to point to things and repeat the words after me. She has said the following words and a lot more I'm sure I can't understand: hi dog, high five, sky, bye bye, night night, bath, outside, down, what's that, fly, milk, please, thank you, Shaya (for Shayla), wa wa (for water), ruff ruff, ball, more. I'm obsessed with her tiny voice. 

This little one used to be the "small" twin, but her crazy eating habits have chunked her up. Scarlett will eat almost anything. She LOVES milk and bread. Cheese and any kind of fruit are also a favorite. Both of them are obsessed with lasagna and like pizza and bagels. Pretty much anything with carbs are a huge hit. They must take after their mama! 

Scarlett thinks it's hilarious to hit people in the head. It drives Kinsey crazy, but it's kind of her fault. The first time Scarlett hit Kinsey's head, Kinsey cracked up so now Scarlett thinks it's funny. She also loves to jump on the bed, couch, and ground. She tries to get air but isn't too successful. It's funny to watch. 

As she's become more mobile and adventurous, I've seen her relationship grow with Kinsey. 

SHAYLA

I could talk about the funny things Shayla does for hours. She is a huge goofball! She is also the typical "youngest" child (even if it's just by one minute). Shayla thinks everything belongs to her. She has no problem stealing toys from her sisters but if they steal it from her she breaks into tears. She is quite dramatic, independent, and sensitive. It's an interesting combination. 

A fun fact about Shayla is she likes to hoard items in her arms. If she sees something she wants, she holds it. If she sees something else, she adds it to the pile. This goes on and on until you see her walking around the house struggling to carry all the items she wants. She will gladly sacrifice her face if it means saving her toys from falling. Also, if you're missing your phone, Shayla will most likely have it. 

 She is a major climber. I can't go a day without Shayla getting on the kitchen table. I have to be very careful not to leave knives on the table or anything she can break. She usually gets extra snacks thanks to these climbing abilities. And she's only fallen off the chair once, so that's not too bad!

Shayla started off as the talker. She would repeat words when I asked and babble all the time. She still babbles a ton but will only participate in talking when she's in the mood. Shayla almost always wakes up from her nap before Scarlett, so when Scarlett wakes up I say, "Let's go get Sissy!" Shayla then runs into the room yelling "Car" aka Scar and beelines it for the crib to greet Scarlett. That is a favorite moment of mine. She also is great at saying "please" when she wants food. 

 

Shayla is great at the mischievous look. You can tell she is always planning something. If she thinks you are about to take something away, she starts running in the other direction. She also loves bouncing on the couch. One time she bounced herself so hard she wound up flat on her back on the floor. Whoops! 

These two are just getting so stinking cute!! I could watch them for hours and smile (and I do). Seriously, they get cuter and cuter as they get older.