A Toy Story Birthday Party

I let my kids have their first friend birthday party at age 4. Luckily Chloe and Mitchell are on opposite years for having friend parties. With their birthdays only 6 weeks apart, I don't know if I could handle it.

I was very excited for Mitch to have a friend party. As the middle child (not really in terms of number, but his position- an older sis and the twins if you count them as one) he gets over shadowed a lot. Chloe has lots of "Chloe only, oldest kid" only activities and privileges- soccer, piano lessons, lots of fun school activities, etc. And the babies are so needy, especially with two of them and so they require lots of time and attention, so Mitch often has to wait his turn for attention and help the most. (One of the most used phrases heard in our house is me saying "It's not your turn. You're next. I'm helping so-and-so and I'll come help you next.") So for Mitch to have something just for him was exciting for him as well as me and Ben.

He asked every day for 2 weeks if it was the morning of his party yet. And for 13 days I had to say no...

His best buddy Jason moved away this spring- not super far, but far enough that we don't see him very often. Mitch misses him like crazy and constantly asks when he can see Jason again. He is down right obsessed with him. When I told him a few days before the party that Jason was coming to his birthday party, he was ecstatic, and then proceeded to ask me every day "Is today the day Jason comes?"

On the morning of the party, starting at 8 a.m. he asked "Can I start watching for Jason now?"

Lucky for Mitch, Jason was the first guest to arrive and the two buddies were happily reunited for the first time in months.

The party was a Toy Story theme, going along with Mitch's latest obsession. The invitations were Toy Story and most of the games as well. We first had the guests sit down and color a Toy Story coloring page. The sweet girls at the party sat so quietly and colored so nicely. In the background you can see the boys pulling out all the toys.

Before anyone got too rowdy, I had them all sit in a line as a group. What a cute bunch. Mitch is sitting in between Jason, his BFF and his little friend Brynn from church, who I'm pretty sure he has a BIG crush on.

The first game we played was "Pin the Sheriff badge on Woody." We spun the kids around 4 times (one for each year Mitch is) and off they went.

None of the kids even tried to feel for where the paper was on the wall. The first place they touched, that's where they stuck it.

I turned around during the middle of the game to find 3 of the boys wrestling. Mitch, Jacob and Jason used to be in nursery together and their nursery teachers tell hilarious story after hilarious story of these 3 animals wrestling and tackling and jumping on each other.

Here is the wall after all the kids had placed their badges. Woody is right in the middle of the page. Only one star made it fully on the paper and one other was touching. Pretty funny.

The next game we played was a relay race. We split the teams in to an even four on four- boys vs. girls. The girls got Woody and the boys got Buzz. When I said go, the kid holding the toy ran to the front door, then back, handed off the toy and the next person went.

Mitchell and Kylee were the last legs of the first race. Mitch was more worried about Buzz's flying form than he was about winning (classic Mitch). The girls won. Both races.

The next game was a Toy Story jumping game. They all got on the couch and while jumping off yelled "To Infinity and Beyond." The boys absolutely loved this game (it was Mitchell inspired).

The girls enjoyed it too, but most of them would either quietly whisper something or not say anything at all.

Next we played "Telephone." The first phrase I started was "There's a snake in my boots," a saying of Woody, but that was too easy for them. The next phrase was just a random one but when it got to Mitchell, he changed it and whispered to the next person "There's a snake in my boots." He thought he was hilarious by doing that. He tried doing it a third time too but I caught him.

Telephone is particularly funny with 4 year olds who are still mastering speech and words anyways.

Garrett & Mitch

Next we opened gifts. I was super impressed with all of his gifts- such thoughtful gifts and Mitch was so excited about all of them (and so were the babies when they saw them all later).

Mitch & Brynn

Mitch and Jason had to hug after opening the gift Jason brought

Abby & Mitch

I loved how enthralled the kids were with watching Mitchell open the gifts. And how mature and sweet they all were about them being all for Mitchell. I've noticed that at all my kids' parties.

Mitch & Eliza

Mitch & Kylee

Mitch & Jacob

Then it was time for cake. I made each of the kids a Toy Story alien cupcake.

We were especially excited that Jason could eat one. Up until a few weeks ago, due to allergies, he was not allowed to eat anything with eggs in it. He was the first one finished with his cupcake!

We then put on the movie "Toy Story" (naturally) to let the kids watch while they waited for their parents to pick them up.

Such a sweet group of kids. Everyone had such a fun time and it was a great afternoon. To infinity, and beyond!