jackson's 4th mcdonald's birthday party

you've already judged me.  i can feel it.  you haven't even read about this party, and you are judging me for having it at mcdonald's. 

well, i don't care.  because this party was for my little boy, and my little boy LOVES mcdonald's.  

if you know jackson, you know he doesn't do well in a lot of chaos.  or big groups.  or unknown surroundings.  and when your kids get to a certain age, their birthday party should be about them.  (cause let's face it... the first birthday is really about you, as a parent, surviving a year of sleepless nights and spit up covering every nice piece of furniture you own).  so..... back to jackson loving mcdonald's.  

i figured, let's just do a quiet, little party for a few of his friends on a thursday night. also, note that his birthday is in march.  while some risky folks out there do park parties in march.... i am a worrier.  so i always try to plan an inside party.  and i prefer to leave the mess somewhere other than my house.

so food + playplace = a good, easy party

the invitation

something i believe in is that just because you do a generic party, you can add details to make it unique, creative, and fun. 

to get the kid's happy meal orders, i made a menu for them to fill out.  the menus were then stapled to each child's happy meal bag.

i got to mcdonald's early and staked out some prime tables near the play area.  i let jackson choose his theme, and he wanted curious george.  so i bought a few items  to decorate with that theme.  (the achiever in me liked that the mcdonald's colors coordinated with the curious george colors)

the party tables.  i covered 2 of them with curious george wrapping paper, and the center one with a curious george tablecloth.
i lined the table with party hats, tattoos, stickers, and fruit snacks (all curious george)

each place setting had a menu.  i used a curious george doll from home to hold onto a small balloon bouquet.

Coop modeling his hat and happy meal

 say what you want, but everyone loves a happy meal.

 so remember how i said jackson likes quiet and simple?

we chose this particular mcdonalds because it is always very quiet as opposed to the one with the huge playplace near our house.  well.... as i was setting up for the party, i noticed a sign mentioning a school fundraising night.  pretty soon, the entire restaurant was FILLED with people.  everywhere.  the line to get our food was 30 minutes long.  total, sheer, chaos.  right alongside our tables was a line going out to the parking lot of elementary school kiddos.  you just have to laugh at the irony.

 for the cupcakes, i went with a curious george theme.  just some bright yellow, red, and blue icing with matching sprinkles.  bright and fun.

 happy birthday to you.....

 happy birthday dear jackson!

 blow out the candles!

 whoo hoo! 

(notice the curious george tattoos on his arm :)

 our family of 5.  (notice itty bitty charlotte!)  

 it was a crazy, crazy party, but jackson had a great time.  and that is what a birthday party is all about, right?

can't believe this little boy turns 5 tomorrow.