Bug's 2nd Sesame Street Birthday Party!

Before I even asked her the question I knew what the answer would be, but I asked anyway.  "Bug, who do you want on your birthday cake?" I asked.  Without hesitation she answers "El!!" Just in case she wasn't 100% sure, I asked "anyone else?" "Nom nom  nom" she replies. So Elmo and Cookie Monster it is! Luckily this is a pretty common theme and I found tons of ideas on Pinterest!

The first things I made (which was my first attempt at any sort of craft) were the treat bags.  I found different variations of these all over the Internet, but these are how mine turned out.

I went with Cookie, Elmo, Burt, Oscar, and Ernie because I found those colors in treat bags, but luckily Bug likes all those characters with the exception of Oscar.  They are pretty generically made: I traced circles and ovals on construction paper and glued them on the bags.  I couldn't find anything to trace to make mouths so I didn't give them mouths! I think they still turned out pretty cute though!

I also wanted to make the fruit and veggie trays into Elmo, Oscar and Cookie Monster's faces.  I found this idea on Pinterest.

 Oscar got a little jumbled on the journey from Pap's refrigerator to the party, but overall these were super easy to make and Bug knew who they were all supposed to be. Success!!

Next were the cupcakes. I was soooo nervous to make these but luckily I have wonderful and talented neighbors and friends who helped me. I used Funfetti cake mix, store brand icing and red and blue food coloring. My neighbor had pastry bags thankfully and a star tipped icing thingy. Once we had them baked and iced I used marshmallows for their eyes and I found these little sugar eyeballs and glued them onto the marshmallow with some icing.  For Elmo I broke an Oreo cookie in half for his mouth (which was probably the most difficult part of these cupcakes! It was really hard to get them straight).  And before we iced Cookie I cut a slit in the cupcake and put half a Chips Ahoy cookie in his mouth. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the cupcakes as they sat out in the 90 degree weather. Poor Elmo and Cookie's eyes melted right off!

                                             Bug loved the Cookie Monster cupcakes!

So I had that all under control and planned out.   Then I am asked what activities and games I'm going to have at the party. Activities?!? Games?!?! I hadn't thought about that. So I did some research; I watched Sesame Street with Bug.

Kids love sweet stuff, so what could be more fun for the kiddos than to decorate sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles?! And there you have it: Cookie Monster's Cookie Table. This beautiful sign was designed and drawn by my wonderfully talented neighbor. I bought some slice and bake cookies, different flavors of icing, and sprinkles.....lots and lots of sprinkles. Luckily I had tons of stuff left over so B and the 2 Js came over the next day and we had Cookie Monster's Cookie Table part 2 on Stonf's kitchen table! Any excuse to decorate and eat cookies!!!

Bug's birthday usually falls around Memorial Day weekend and for as far back as I can remember it is always HOT that weekend.  The park where I have her party has a water pump that the kids love to play in. So while thinking of more activities I thought of having a duck pond, because Ernie loves his rubber duckie!! Again this sign was made by my neighbor. She is an amazing artist! I got this pool at Toys r Us for $5.00 and bought a bunch of Dollar store rubber ducks. I have to say this was the main attraction at the party. The kids loved the pool and they all got to take the ducks home.

Bug's cake was adorable, but I cannot take credit for it.  My favorite local bakery, Kretchmar's Bakery, did a beautiful job with her cake and I could have have been more pleased with it.

I ordered Bug a cute Elmo birthday shirt and tutu from Etsy, and when I got it in the mail her eyes lit up and she wanted to wear it immediately. So of course party day, she wants no part of the tutu. She walked around in the shirt and her diaper all day. (Keepin it real!)

I did manage to get the tutu on her the next day for a picture, but not with the shirt on. The shirt, of course, had blue icing all over it!

So overall for my first time trying to make things myself I'd say I did a decent job.  Everyone who attended the party told me everything looked cute, so unless they were lying I think Bug's party turned out great.  She had fun and there were no major catastrophes!