We decided that this year, since we're only here in Georgia for a short amount of time, and also given the fact that most of our close friends happen to have children of both Alegria's and Odette's ages and would be coming to both parties if we had separate ones for each, that we'd instead have a combined birthday party for both. And it worked out GREAT!!!
First of all, both girls LOVE the new Disney Junior TV show, Doc McStuffins, so there was NO arguing what the combined theme would be! Second of all, the preparations for the party took a colossal amount of time and effort, so if we'd had two parties, one of them would have suffered and been quite sad...so I was SOOO glad that after one party, it was all over...and SOOO worth it! :)
Serious preparations for the party began back in mid-July. I had been back-and-forth from about May on whether to have two separate parties or not and on what the theme(s) would be. Finally, while talking to my friend Heather during one of our walks, she mentioned that if we had a Doc McStuffins party, the guests could bring a favorite toy to the party...and that sealed the deal!!! Since then, I'd searched online for ideas, downloaded pictures and templates, and watched the DVR-recorded episodes a GAZILLION times with Alegria and Odette. I also started buying supplies for the things I wanted to make for the party.
Serious SERIOUS preparations for the party began on Tuesday, August 21st. For the next few nights, I worked feverishly on tasks after the girls had gone to bed at 8:30 pm and went to bed myself at about 3:30 or 4:30 in the morning every day after working on things. I would take a nap while Alegria was in preschool and while Odette was napping to regain some energy. Friday night into Saturday night...I didn't sleep at all. But boy, I was so excited for the party on Saturday that I did NOT even feel it until it was all over!!!
For those of you who have no idea what the show Doc McStuffins is all about, click here and see for yourself! It's super cute!
Now that you know what it's all about, let me give you a run-down of how the party went!!! First, we had Alegria dressed as Doc McStuffins! She LOVED her costume!!! (She's also wearing a pink skirt, just like Dottie, from the show, but you can't see it...)
And we had Odette dress like Hallie, Doc McStuffins' nurse (Hallie doesn't wear pants, but we did have Odette wear some!):
(P.S. I don't have a sewing machine and hand-stitched this whole apron together!!!)
The girls were such good sports for my vision of the party and were SOOO cute!!!
Here is the invitation that was sent out:
When each guest arrived, their toy that they brought was "checked in" to our little "clinic" with a patient ID bracelet:
Then the guest was given a stethoscope that I made using the instructions I found on an online blog (red hearts and white ear pieces for the boys, pink hearts and ear pieces for the girls...and there were actually ten children at the party, not only four as this picture may suggest...I forgot to get a picture of the stethoscopes prior to the party and had to get a picture of Alegria's and Odette's and two little friends' that didn't make it...after the party was over):
Once all of that was done, the kids went to the craft table to make their very own clipboard, inspired by another online blog. I tweaked the idea by gluing white cardstock to one side and letting the children color it and cover it in stickers. We also covered BOTH sides of the clipboards with clear laminating paper to make them last! Last, we let each child pick a crayon and they attached it to their clipboard with yarn and they each got a few "check-up" sheets!
Alegria's and Odette's finished products:
From there, the children went to the "clinic" station, where they gave their toys a check-up!
Apparently, you can get an accurate temperature from a toy's eyes...Nurse Odette says so!
Unfortunately, I was busy laminating all of the clipboards while the children went through the clinic station and didn't get any pictures of them at that activity. The only ones I have are the ones above of Odette with her Baby Bear prior to the party. But you get the gist! :)
After everyone had given their toy a check-up, we played "Pin the Nose on Chilly."
Alegria kept going off to the side and Cameron had to keep getting her on track towards Chilly! Hahaha!
Most everyone wore a blindfold, though a few did not. And that was fine. Everyone had fun and did pretty well for their age group! :)
Odette's turn!
What Chilly looked like in the end:
After that game, we had a Cottonball Relay. The children formed two lines and they had to place a cottonball on a tongue depressor and take it to an empty bucket a few feet away. They actually did better than I thought they would!
Then it was time for cake!!! I made two cakes...one in the shape of Doc's "Big Book of Boo Boos" (triple chocolate fudge flavor for Alegria), and one in the shape of Doc's doctor's bag (rice crispy treats and white cake dyed purple for Odette):
Finally it was time for presents! The girls loved ALL of their gifts!!!
Once all of the gifts were opened and thanked for, the girls handed out a gift bag to each of their friends...pink and purple doctor bags for the girls, white doctor bags for the boys, all with their own laminated "Big Book of Boo Boos" and dry erase crayon and erase cloth to diagnose their toys with...and use over and over again, a Doctor's ID Badge (with a place to glue their own photo and included laminating paper to laminate them with), "Cuddle Cards" to hand out to someone who may need a cuddle, band aids, tongue depressor, cotton balls, and an extra patient ID bracelet. Plus, they got to take home their stethoscope and clipboard!
Once the last guest was gone, the Doc was OUT!
What a fun, fun, FUN birthday party!
Thank you to all of our guests who came...not only for the gifts, but most especially for your attendance! You made the girls' special day that much more special and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your friendship, love, and support. Thanks again!!!
**********
After the party, the fatigue finally hit me and I crashed on the couch for about two hours while the girls played with their new toys. When I woke up, I woke up to Cameron finishing cleaning everything up...a great end to a great day!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARTY DAY, ALEGRIA & ODETTE!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!
**********
For anyone wanting the documents, images, and instructions on how to recreate this Doc McStuffins Party, you may access everything by clicking here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/105580618/Doc%20McStuffins.zip. Happy party-planning!!! :)
Once all of that was done, the kids went to the craft table to make their very own clipboard, inspired by another online blog. I tweaked the idea by gluing white cardstock to one side and letting the children color it and cover it in stickers. We also covered BOTH sides of the clipboards with clear laminating paper to make them last! Last, we let each child pick a crayon and they attached it to their clipboard with yarn and they each got a few "check-up" sheets!
Alegria's and Odette's finished products:
From there, the children went to the "clinic" station, where they gave their toys a check-up!
Apparently, you can get an accurate temperature from a toy's eyes...Nurse Odette says so!
Unfortunately, I was busy laminating all of the clipboards while the children went through the clinic station and didn't get any pictures of them at that activity. The only ones I have are the ones above of Odette with her Baby Bear prior to the party. But you get the gist! :)
After everyone had given their toy a check-up, we played "Pin the Nose on Chilly."
Alegria kept going off to the side and Cameron had to keep getting her on track towards Chilly! Hahaha!
Most everyone wore a blindfold, though a few did not. And that was fine. Everyone had fun and did pretty well for their age group! :)
Odette's turn!
What Chilly looked like in the end:
After that game, we had a Cottonball Relay. The children formed two lines and they had to place a cottonball on a tongue depressor and take it to an empty bucket a few feet away. They actually did better than I thought they would!
Then it was time for cake!!! I made two cakes...one in the shape of Doc's "Big Book of Boo Boos" (triple chocolate fudge flavor for Alegria), and one in the shape of Doc's doctor's bag (rice crispy treats and white cake dyed purple for Odette):
Finally it was time for presents! The girls loved ALL of their gifts!!!
Once all of the gifts were opened and thanked for, the girls handed out a gift bag to each of their friends...pink and purple doctor bags for the girls, white doctor bags for the boys, all with their own laminated "Big Book of Boo Boos" and dry erase crayon and erase cloth to diagnose their toys with...and use over and over again, a Doctor's ID Badge (with a place to glue their own photo and included laminating paper to laminate them with), "Cuddle Cards" to hand out to someone who may need a cuddle, band aids, tongue depressor, cotton balls, and an extra patient ID bracelet. Plus, they got to take home their stethoscope and clipboard!
Once the last guest was gone, the Doc was OUT!
What a fun, fun, FUN birthday party!
Thank you to all of our guests who came...not only for the gifts, but most especially for your attendance! You made the girls' special day that much more special and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your friendship, love, and support. Thanks again!!!
**********
After the party, the fatigue finally hit me and I crashed on the couch for about two hours while the girls played with their new toys. When I woke up, I woke up to Cameron finishing cleaning everything up...a great end to a great day!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARTY DAY, ALEGRIA & ODETTE!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!
**********
For anyone wanting the documents, images, and instructions on how to recreate this Doc McStuffins Party, you may access everything by clicking here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/105580618/Doc%20McStuffins.zip. Happy party-planning!!! :)
