Blaine's Monster Truck Birthday Party

Blaine is currently obsessed with monster trucks. I've lost count of how many he owns and every time he has money to spend, that is always what he wants to buy. His favorite is Grave Digger, the headliner from the ever-so-classy Monster Jam event that my husband took him to earlier this year. They plan to make it an annual pilgrimage. 

Something funny that I just have to share.... Vivienne's birthday this year fell on Endymion Saturday during Mardi Gras.  Our tattoo shop is ON the Endymion route.  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to come to the conclusion that my girl had an epic Mardi Gras birthday party.  Wellll..... Blaine, for about a month, said he wanted a monster truck birthday party. At the tattoo shop. WITH a parade like Vivi had.  Our sweet boy with that New Orleans heart. It was sad explaining to him that mommy and daddy just can't afford arranging something like an Endymion parade for his birthday. Since we have just started half birthday celebrations, maybe he will get lucky one year and we will throw him a big half bday Mardi Gras bash.

I had to make a serious effort to glam up a monster truck party as much as possible. I used the colors of Grave Digger (purple and green), a silhouette image of a monster truck, and a black and white checkered race flag pattern throughout the party decor.

I also made a photo garland of Blaine growing up. And on the TV is a 30 minute video of just monster trucks racing that Blaine would watch over and over and over if I let him.... we let him keep playing it at his party until the Saints game came on. 

A little more about the details and DISASTERS.... (this is me being vulnerable)

The cake pops....

I almost cried for the first 5 or 6 that I made...

But I eventually got a rhythm and I was so excited with how they came out. It was my first time making them on my own. My favorite way to display them is in a trifle dish.

The cookies....

For some reason, in my mind, I had these simple cookie ideas that I thought would be cute, but they weren't....

So I put a little more effort in, adding headlights, the number 4, and a lightning bolt/zig-zag thing that sometimes looked like a "W". Overall, I was happy with them. I used them as favors and had some out on the cake table.

But the grand finale....

The cake...

I spent 2 days. I wanted to make a 2 tier topsy turvy styled cake. It was so cute. I was so proud. 

I woke up the morning of the party with some light cleaning planned to finish preparing for the party and went in the kitchen to find this.... atrocity....

Seriously? I cried. Then, determined to have a cute cake, I ran to the store and switched on the oven. I made an entirely new cake, finishing about an hour before the party started. It wasn't as smooth as I would have liked, but it was cute, nonetheless.

Less eventful things that I did were cupcakes with matching cupcake toppers, water bottle labels, and groupings of paper lanterns in a few spots (which of course have no photos of)...

Blaine loved his party. He had so much fun, was surrounded by his favorite people, and got some really cool toys and clothes..... and this was the best family photo. Sorry. haha

A printable is available for instant download on Etsy here.

Our 4 year old son!

Wow! How has time flown by so fast? Blaine turns 4 tomorrow and had his first class day of CC today!  Here is our anti-cooperative first day of school photo...

I can't believe how much our lives have changed since Blaine. Birthdays really spark a happy (and tearful) trip down memory lane for me. I'll share...

One year ago....
For Blaine's third birthday party, my husband and I were recuperating from a very exhausting location move of our business, Mid City Voodoux Tattoos, so I arranged a small family party with some last minute Thomas the Train decorations, cake, everything. Being naturally crafty and loving extreme party planning, this was a little disappointing for me. I'm one of those excessive people that would rather spend a ridiculous amount of time, effort, and money making something by hand that could easily be purchased. However, I was reminded just how little Blaine cares about hand made party decor. He loved his cake and everything else.

Two years ago...

Blaine's second birthday party had a little  of my crafty twist to it, cupcakes and monkey themed, at the Monkey Room. I felt very accomplished, having a 6 month old baby and getting to still apply a little craftiness.... but apparently very few pictures.

Three years ago...
I was pregnant for Vivienne (in my first trimester) for Blaine's first birthday. Everything was brightly colored polka dots and bought online or at Party City. I had no energy. I ordered every single food item, drink, cake.... everything. Again, a little disappointing. I even had it at my mom's house to avoid preparing my house for company.

And, sadly, four years ago...

He was born about a week before his due date. Early in my pregnancy, my doctor told me she would be out of town helping her son move to college.... I always knew that would be the time Blaine would grace us with his presence. And grace us he did. 

8 pounds and 1 ounce of the most perfect bundle of pure life changing awesomeness.

(Jeansonne Photography)

Happy Birthday to our big boy! Can't wait to celebrate this Sunday with friends and family!

I am beyond excited that this year, I have the time, energy, and patience to plan a nice party for my favorite little guy.

A Very Merry Unbirthday!

I. Love. Birthdays! I have decided we will start celebrating half birthdays in the Becker household! I know this will be a new fun tradition our family will look forward to. Since this is a new thing, we are starting with 2.5 year old Vivienne (Becker bomb #2). 

We started our day with a healthy breakfast of..... half donuts! Is there a better way other than with a breakfast full of sugar when you have a 2.5 and (almost) 4 year old?! I think not.

We continued the half bday celebration with lunch of half grilled cheese and half a banana! And a silly face!

Vivienne received an Amazon.com gift card for her birthday and it has just been sitting on my desk ever since. So that made me think... to go along with cake, any gift cards the kids get will be spent on their half birthdays.  They get SO MANY toys for their birthdays, this should help spread them out and give the kids something new that they are into later in the year. I guess normally it would include walking around the toy store, but since it was an Amazon card, I placed an order for FIVE My Little Pony figures (her current fav).

Our kids are 18 months apart - Blaine's birthday is in August and Vivienne's birthday is in February. Blaine's half birthday is in February and Vivienne's is in August. That means (at least) twice a year, we get to eat cake TWICE in one month! 

We had a half pink vanilla half bday cake with vanilla frosting. YUM!  I made a cute cake topper to go on the cake and Vivi blew out half a candle. 

If this post has inspired you to start having a few extra celebrations in your household, my professional opinion is you start with.... cake! You can purchase and download the printable here for the pink chevron topper. Also available in blue/white chevron and grey/white chevron.  Just cut out, string up, attach with tape or hot glue to some paper straws or bamboo skewers!


Do you celebrate half birthdays? What traditions do you include?