L's 3rd Birthday Mermaid Party

For months prior to Linnea's birthday she had been talking non-stop about wanting a "purple mermaid" birthday party. And although I wanted to give her such a party I stood on the fence on what to do. I toyed with the idea of renting a local indoor pool facility and having a party there. However, a few things kept me from wanting to go that direction 1) the cost, 2) L doesn't actually like swimming, 3) the chaos of parents trying to watch their kids in the water. I toyed with the idea of doing just a small family birthday and making it somewhat "purple mermaid" themed, but L kept asking me if specific friends could come to her party. The problem I was running into was that our house is small and not the optimal place for hosting events with lots of people. But in the end, rather a last minute two weeks prior to the date, I decided to just do it at our house. We moved some furniture in the garage, put up some water like paper up, blew up small blue & white balloons, got a bubble machine, and viola under water our house became! My mom came up and blessed us with her amazing sewing & design skills and made each party goer a play-friendly mertail. I picked up some cute mer-crowns, and my sister got some over sized mer-rings. We had the party on her actual birthday and Joe took the day off. We played the classic fishing game in which each girl (the boys got hot wheels) pulled up princess shoes. We had bubble dance freeze, mertail races, and over all just a really good relaxing time. After everyone left L told us it was exactly as she had hoped.

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Joe's gift to L is the much loved beta fish named, "Boy Kate".

Prior to her party we let her open up her family gifts. She insisted on wearing only her mertail, pulled all the way up to under her arms, and her crown.

The girls really enjoyed bubble dance time. (It was a bit of a battle but we were able to talk L into putting something on with her mertail. She even had it pulled correctly to her waist for about half the party).

I mean really enjoyed it. I know this picture is blurry but it captured bubble dance time so well.

Note for anyone thinking about doing a bubble machine indoors and with pergo/hardwood-IT MAKES THE FLOORS VERY SLIPPERY! We ended up putting a sheet down to absorb the slippery mess.

Tyler was a good sport and wore his mer-man out fit like a champ.

Eva spent sometime figuring out what all those crazy big mer-people were doing.

Tyler wishing I would quit documenting this.

L & Aubree tapping their princess shoes and waiting for the birthday mermaid cake.

I missed the picture of her actually blowing out the candles, also forgot to take a picture of the super cute mermaid cake my mom decorated.

Present time!

L and her good friend Kate enjoyed playing with her new princess dolls in their mer-princess outfits for sometime after everyone else left. Although he didn't wear it at the party I heard that Kate's little brother wore his mer-outfit three days straight afterwords. (Note L's mertail is pulled up again)