A Little Hawaiian/ A Little Tiki Party

I had such a hard time with Maggie's birthday party this year. I was having such an inner conflict of how extravagant I would WANT it and how simple I SHOULD have it. She is only turning 2, but turning 2 for her is a BIG deal. I went back and forth so many times on different themes and before I knew it August 27th was right around the corner! So, because of my great procrastination skills and extreme indecisiveness the party was a lot more on the simple side. Looking back part of me was upset at this fact, but I had to remind myself what is most important. What's important is that I HAVE Maggie with me! That she is healthy and doing so well. That we have had the most awesome 2 years with her, with so many adventures and opportunities!

In our efforts to make the whole great day, Whit took the day off and we headed out to our Aquarium. After going to the aquariums in San Francisco and Hawaii, this was a little disappointing. What did we really expect from an aquarium in the middle of the desert!  Oh well, at least we tried to do something fun and new.

 The penguins put on a good show of swimming back and forth as fast as they could. I don't think Maggie knew what was going on.

 I don't even know what we were trying to touch! Some kind of shark...good thing it was way too deep for Maggie to get, but she loved playing in the water.

 The otter peep hole...they also put on a good fighting show for Maggie and then smooshed themselves up against the glass. That's what the big blob in the corner is.

 In Ariel's cave :)

Trying to free Nemo

Going to the aquarium went right along with our "Hawaiian/Tiki" theme. This theme was inspired by our awesome trip to Hawaii this year and we really want to be back there. So we threw our own little luau with yummy BBQ shredded chicken, pinapple/strawberry/banana skewers, salad, chips/dip, punch and the best desserts ever! They were Island Flavor sorbets individually packaged in their corresponding flavor shell....so pinapple sorbet in a pinapple piece, Mango in a mango skin, coconut milk in a coconut shell, etc... they really transported us back to Hawaii!!  Then of course we had to throw a little Disney in there and have the Tiki birds with us. We listened to the Enchanted Tiki Room track and imagined ourselves singing along with the birds. Maggie loves birds and an added bonus birds singing!!!

 the Big Kahunas watching the Pinapple Princess

 Aloha Princess

 Oh she spotted a bird!

 Tasting her birthday food!

 There is something about a birthday cake and the stander...didn't like it last year..didn't like it this year. This year we had the 2 year old tantrum by throwing our head forward into the cake! 

In her new birthday nightgown that she picked out all by herself! 

Aloha {Goodbye}