Ellie's 4th Birthday

My baby is 4!

Last year we had a party at her school, but this year I convinced her that her friends from church couldn't come if we had it at school, so we celebrated at home.

The first (and probably most important) ingredient to a successful Guatemalan birthday party is a piñata. We went downtown to a street where piñatas seem to grow on trees, or buildings.

We found the Jessie piñata right away. This was a "regular" size, not to be confused with the larger ones. 

Birthday morning was fun because we had received presents in the mail from family and friends.

Pajamas that Ellie was convinced to be a dress. She wore it all day and to bed. 

Birthday morning pancakes, a Chapman tradition.

What started out as a Jessie piñata turned into a Toy Story theme. After a crazy few weeks up through Saturday with work, I knew I wouldn't feel up to making a cake. A friend lent me some decorations, and we got a cake and put a Toy Story picture on it, and I added my own lettering. Theme complete.

We also made Mr. Potato Head cupcakes (inspired by Pinterest, though adapted to what I could find in Guatemala).

  The kids seemed to have fun. 

Hazel was looking a little guilty because she was eating all the candy instead of decorating her cupcake.

 The birthday girl!

 Hazel has been walking around for days singing, "Happy to you, Happy to you," so she was especially excited to sing to Ellie when it came time for cake. 

It was a rainy day, so we did the piñata under the neighbor's garage. This was the first time we'd seen Hazel not only not be afraid of the piñata, but run up excitedly ready to whack away. I think the several parties at school lately have helped her get over her fear. She walks around the house with some kind of baton signing the piñata song: "Dale, dale, duro, dale, dale, duro." (Loosely translated means go hard, or, hit it hard!)

We had a fun party, despite a few friends not being able to come last minute. 

Happy Birthday, Ellie!

We love you so much!