spiderman/zoo party

My perfectionist party tendencies are gone. I'm not sure how or why...but all that time spent pinning beautiful coordinated parties was really unnecessary.

You can tell just by that Martha Stewart tissue paper puff...it's poofed out. (Those things really aren't as easy as she makes them look.)


But it's much less stressful to simply accept help and enjoy the party instead of obsessing on the set up.

My aunt was so kind to let us invade her house and throw up cheap Walmart punch-outs and marker colored poster board all over her walls.


(I didn't even finish making the windows on the buildings!)


Just a random shot thrown in...but that's one giant pine cone!


We headed to the National Zoo before the party. Diego loves animals and we hadn't been there in awhile. (Yes, I have absolutely no style....that's the diaper bag the hospital gave me when Diego was born.)


We weren't there 10 minutes before Isabela fell down and bloodied her knee...that's blood on her skirt. They patched her up at the first aid clinic a mile away and she's still limping to this day.


Quick shot of the fam.


It turns out the National Zoo puts a strong emphasis on education about animals. Which was fine at the prairie dog tunnels...the kids had fun running through them and popping up to look for predators....but in general, the animals at this zoo are few and far between. Our local zoo is a little better for Diego's age...lots of animals, little educating.


I've been trying to be better about giving up the camera just to prove I was there, too. I really enjoy taking pictures, but I also want to be in them.


Juan Pablo stopped to get some bugs picked out of his hair.


The orangutan crossing was definitely the highlight.


If I was an orangutan, I'd stay out there all day.


Although, that is pretty high.


AND....this was the moment Diego had been waiting for all day. I had tried to sing happy birthday to him at the zoo, and he covered my mouth and said, "Not yet, Mom, not yet."


He was even prepared to do the "cake in the face" tradition from Bolivia. His brother and sister went easy on him, and I was so happy...I had worried it might end in tears. (I guess the cake might need a little explanation. It was an angel food cake and the cool whip never got defrosted...so thankfully, Leah Ann had a can of spray whipped cream. Apparently, it doesn't spread as well. It didn't taste like it looked.)


He squealed for each present (minus one, which I'm sure he'll grow to love).


It was a very happy day. Thank you family for showing up and celebrating with us!!