Partying with the Helm Side

Aunt Michele and Navy

We decided to split Navy's birthday celebration again this year----one party for the Helm side, the other party for the Eich side.  This is because there are just too many people in our families combined to have in our house at one time and me not lose my mind.  I decided to do things much simpler this year and I am really glad I did.  Last year we made a lot of food for both parties and it was so much prep work and clean up that I didn't think it was really worth it (like she is going to remember).  So for the Helm family we ordered pizza, I made a salad and my sister-in-law made garlic bread sticks.  For dessert, we had cupcakes.  I followed this recipe but instead of lemon I decided to do plain white cake.  I thought they turned out really good.  The recipe made 48, but I halved it because I didn't think I would want that many cupcakes left over, but I probably could have gotten rid of them at work the next day :)

Navy is really into Dora the Explorer, Elmo and Bubble Guppies right now.  We decided to do a Dora theme because that is the show Navy asks to watch more than any other.  I went minimal on the decorations (it's so easy when you can buy them all together in a package for $5.99) and Navy looked at them for at least 20 seconds, so it was worth it :)

I need to mention that on Friday of last week,  Navy was sick.  She had a fever, saw the doctor, and it was determined that she had tonsillitis.  On Friday night after we got home from picking up her medicine, I placed her on the couch to get her medicine out and before I was able to take two steps, Navy threw up all over our couch.  It was gross and really hard to get clean.  She was pretty pitiful for the next couple of days, but by Sunday she seemed to be feeling much better.  On Monday (the day of the party) I was busy getting things together for her party and my sister was over helping as well.  Navy was kind of whiny, but I just thought she was feeling ignored and wanted our attention.  Once family started to arrive, Navy was pretty quiet and not her usual self (she would normally be asking for food, trying to open the fridge, yelling, running around the house etc.).  Before we opened her presents, Navy was being held by her Aunt Michele and she threw up on her.  Poor Navy and Michele!  Navy opened her presents after everything and everyone was cleaned up, and she fell asleep on my lap shortly after.  By Tuesday she was back to normal, and she has stayed that way so far. 

I am hoping she doesn't get sick for her next party, which is coming up in a couple of weeks, when her Uncle Stephen is in from New York.  He wouldn't handle the puking well....