birthday II - the main event

Turning 4 is a *big* event. I probably didn't realise how big before hand, but I can tell you now, 2 weeks after the event, that things change inside a 4 year olds head. For one, you're now a lot braver than you ever were, and things you wouldn't do yesterday, you can bravely do today. You instantly become well mannered (actually that has been building up for a while), polite and responsible for all the little kids around you, and possibly in your own mind a role model for all those kids younger than you.

You think you are now old enough to wear make up to kindy every day (you were old enough to wear it before but it's far more important now and is put on with a bit more precision - now you look more like a lady of the night, than a circus clown), you are old enough to use grown up cutlery and eat off exactly the same plate as Mummy and Daddy as well as eat what they are eating. Some of these things happened before, but now they are all well noted and not much slips through. Apart from those days where you come into the kitchen and ask, with a guilt ladden look, if it's ok to have your snack in the Nemo bowl.

In our house turning 4 almost feels like she's come into teenager-hood, which is so beyond scarey it's not funny.

4 just feels so different from the years before.

Anyway.... here's the big event that started this whole metamorphisis off.

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If you were in the "in" crowd you got one of these....

...actually Georgie would have invited everyone in her class. Afterall *everyone* is her friend (which is probably true, she loves friends and would love to be friends with every child on the planet, having them all at a party would be the absolute ultimate for her)... we did manage to whittle the numbers down though. We had mainly girls and a few boys.

Georgie had wanted a Witch Party since she had seen Glinda and the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. She couldn't be talked out of it. Would have been nice if she'd decided this round Halloween last year though. Still we managed to collect a few witchy things during the year, and Granma found her a fabulous dress and hat.

Unkie Tim went straight into the "best Uncle on the planet" category with this makeup box. wow... how did he know that it was the one she'd told Granma she wanted when we were at the shops the day before???? (Gee she plays "the game" with us)

In case James felt left out Granma brought him a new bright red teddy bear, and some funky new clothes so he has something to wear in Hawaii. We won't lose him in this orange tshirt!

I know it was a "Witch Party" but we decided to bring in some entertainment. This was seriously the best thing we could have done. Well for me anyway. The kids seemed to really like Yuri the Clown. Even though, from an adult point of view, he had quite a bad groan factor, the kids sat mesmerised for pretty much 40 minutes.

Georgie was so upset she didn't get to help with the first trick... but it was a special birthday one for her.

Her hand was up the instant an assistant was required for the next act. In fact she was the assistant for every trick after the first one. She had a wonderful time.

In this next trick Yuri turned her into "Dragon Liz" (when asked what would she change her name to, she replied Emily Elizabeth.... why? well long story, but she's the owner of Clifford the Big Red Dog)

Here she is complete with Dragon tail, performing her magic. Her "magic word"? Polka Dots.

The fact that the kids were just so enthralled kept us all amused but Dan and I spent a lot of time smiling at Georgie.

Yuri played music *cough cough* and two Mums helped out by holding the limbo balloon, a good game for any kids party.

Aren't the kids all cute in their witchy outfits? The invite asked them to come in their witchiest clothes but it was so cute that they all dressed up.

We also turned the cubby house into the Haunted House with some big black wool curtains, a glow in the dark skeleton and a glow stick. It also had a cauldron in it that had squishy frogs and snakes in it and every time the girls put their hands in you would hear all these screams that would go on and on then they'd all race out saying they'd touched slimy snakes.

Jamie loved the kids and the clown. He's a party animal too.

Yuri made balloon animals for all the kids.

And Georgie got a special hat. (I did have a big witches hat too with this black outfit... nice and hot for the sunny day we had.)

Granma brought up some yummy Beechworth Bakery sponge to make the cake. She did a good job didn't she? The cake was 3/4 demolished by the end of the day, and the kids also had green jelly with frogs and snakes in it.

Happy 4th Birthday Little G.

We had a wonderful day, always good to have a good party and we had a great one.

Thanks to everyone who helped us... Granma (on food and cake) , Grandad (on trampoline duty), Uncle Tim (on tattoo duty), Daddy (on drinks, baby duty and actually getting to talk to our guests) and all the parents who lent a hand.