And Tori turns 4, the real highlight of the month

This year Tori wanted a party. She got a taste of the party scene with so many cool friends with their cool moms around here. I suppose it was inevitable, although I had hoped I would squeak by one more year in the clear. I stressed and mulled over concepts for months in advance. We explored princesses, fairies, art themes, candy land, and eventually, a drive in movie. The tough thing was Tori's best friend is a boy and happened to be the only boy we knew well enough to invite, so we needed a unisex theme that wouldn't have him going home with fairy wings. Thankfully, I make friends with creative people, so after agonizing over how to pull of the drive-in theme, Andi Marshall supplied me all the know-how to accomplish it (since she had just done it for her daughter). I, literally, copied her down to the snacks served, haha. She knows how to do things right!

We started the morning with a trip to the Museum of Natural History to take in a butterfly documentary and exhibit. 

Hugs all around from our girlfriends.

I had plans of taking Tori out for lunch, but was too stressed about getting things set up and ready, so we headed back home after and enjoyed some "quiet time" while Mom ran around like a lunatic. I'm spoiled...we all know this, but I usually plan things around Brandon's schedule so I can be sure to have his help. That wasn't possible for this, our FIRST party with friends, so I was nervous.

I guess I'm a minimalist when it comes to decorations. I thought I had gone all out, but then realized I only had streamers haha. 

Every kid got 5 tickets to spend on treats, a good way of regulating sugar in take. It was cute because a couple of them decided to save a ticket for more later. Kids are so clever these days.

Cars ready for detailing.

I hung stars and lights from the ceiling to set the mood.

Rolling with her homies!

We just grabbed discarded boxes from the hallway when we found them, and when it came down to the final count we just didn't have enough boxes to not use this giant one. So we made it the official Birthday Girl ride with a door since it was too tall to climb into.

Her friend Sadie liked the view better on top of the "hill." They all decorated their own cars with duct tape and cute sticker decals I got from Andi.

Overall, the party was a total success! I had kind of figured most parents would opt for leaving the cars to be thrown away, since taking it would require lugging it 5+ blocks for most, so I was pleasantly surprised when all the kids were too excited to leave them. Of course, all these kiddos have supermoms that willingly through the boxes on top of their strollers and sacrificed precious apartment space for their  kid's continued enjoyment. Now that I know I'm capable of pleasing an apartment full of kids, yeah, I could definitely do another party : ) BUT, it will be every other year. I don't know that I can handle the stress of planning unless Andi continues to provide me the blueprints. 

Enjoying our birthday spoils. We have REALLY great friends.

Tori at one point had requested that some of Daddy's friends and the friends that she babysits (i.e. her babysitters) come to the party. To make up for the lunch I promised and didn't deliver on, we took her that weekend to her favorite place, Shake Shack, and invited some of the PA class to come. Brandon's PA classmates are seriously awesome. They are so good to our family, it's extremely touching. They surprised Tori with a present, which...a bunch of single kids busy in rotations...I mean, COME ON, that's so cool of them!

Tori next to Austin, her most favoritest babysitter. And from top left: Dan, Jerrad, Matt, and Mike

The bubble machine from Paul has provided countless hours of fun and smiles and more bonding with our besties!

Now I get a breather.