BeauPOOLooza IV

Our wild thing turned 4 Saturday.

We call Beau's birthday Beaupalooza because his birthday parties have been such wild and crazy bashes--I mean for a kid's birthday party.

His first birthday I had at the house and had about 20 kids and 40 parents. It was just your run of the mill play yard games--A little Croquet maybe?Badminton anyone?-- and run around and just be silly party. The party started at 11 am and the last guest left at 1 AM--see that? It is not a typo. That's right, it was a 12 hour party for a 1 year old.

The next year I did a repeat of the run around and be crazy party but started the party later at 3pm. This was the year Beaupalooza was coined. I even handed out t-shirts a la frat party style that said Beaupalooza 2005! And again, the last guest left around 1am. And in true frat party style a few of the guests returned the next day to cookout, finish the keg and eat leftover birthday cake. A 2 day party for a 2 year old.

Last year for his 3rd birthday we had a Pirate bash at the pool-- again the party found its way to my house and finished up, I guess, around 1 am. I seriously don't remember.

So this year we just had a regular old pool party with silly games and running around, and oh yeah, swimming.

And yes, again, the party ended at my house with the last guest leaving around 1 am (you know who you are and we love you and we wouldn't want it any other way!)

I should also tell you that it rains every year for Beaupalooza but always clears up just enough for the party. As mentioned here it really does rain every time I plan a party outside. It even rained on the morning of our wedding.

Our wedding was in the garden at my parents' house. It cleared up and proved to be an incredibly perfect and beautiful day but some of the guests did have to help dry off the chairs. Anyway, my point is that universe tries to get me down by raining on my parties but it never works! I don't even cry anymore when I wake up on party day and it is pouring buckets.

On the subject of buckets. . . I had buckets for every kid to decorate. I made the mistake though of giving the boys their other party favor--swords--at the same time. So the boys were not the least bit interested in my little craft. They wanted to fight. So I decorated their buckets for them.

I gave all the girls mermaids and they were interested in decorating their buckets. I actually had to take the buckets away and make them go play. So, for the record, girls like to do crafts at parties and boys like to fight.

The tennis courts became the battlefield as the kids chased each other around with the swords and the bubble guns Poppy brought.


New this year to Beaupalooza we had some fun games and prizes.

We had the Shrek vs. Donkey relay race. I think the Shrek team technically won but it didn't matter because EVERYONE wins a prize at Beaupalooza.
We had the biggest splash contest. I can't remember who won for the 4 and under group but Carmella and Harrison had to have a jump off-- twice. Harrison proved the biggest splasher but again, it doesn't matter because EVERYONE wins a prize!!!!

After a fancy meal of hotdogs and potato chips we had a dance contest. My CD with the Hustle, the Macarena, the Electric Slide, the Chicken Dance and Cotton Eye Joe would not play.

Which is quite unfortunate because I had spent 2 hours the night before watching Youtube and perfecting the Hustle and Napoleon Dynamite's version of Cotton Eye Joe. You can view it here to get an idea of how it might of looked. Just substitute me in a bikini and some roller girl shorts doing these cool moves:

Sigh, I know you are disappointed that I wasn't able to break that out. I do it so good too. But no worries. The time I spent practicing was time well spent as I now have a new dance to showcase at Pookie's wedding.

So instead of all my organized dances the kids broke it down and wowed us with some never seen before freestyle:
Beau and Livi won for the littles.

And I think Austin was the clear winner for the older crowd.

Again EVERYONE got a prize and this time a tatoo.

Then more swimming.

Cake!

And popsicles:
And then the big present. . .

And then ensued much squabbling over, and falling off of and getting little fingers run over.

And then there was much crying and whining as we put the cool new toy in Poppy's car and put an end to all the fun.

We packed it all up and took it back to our house just before it began pouring. Beau opened one final present and after some more playing with every single toy I have in the house and a picnic of pizza the kids piled into my bed for some Scooby Doo videos. And I finally got to sit down and finish a cocktail and a conversation--all firsts for me that day.

Great party guys!

Thanks for coming and be sure to mark your calendars for next year!

Oh, and you can view all the photos from this year's Beaupalooza by clicking right here.

Oh, and last week's totals:
Run: 40 miles
Bike: 61 miles
Swim: 2000 meters (oops, too short)