The Brown Family: "Buzz-Woody" Party {Weston's 3rd Birthday}

Just like clockwork Weston's birthday came. To be honest it sort of snuck up on us... like it does every year. It's mostly out of denial - can this little boy really be turning three already?! It's hard to believe sometimes.

But this little man made sure we didn't forget about his birthday. He was constantly asking about his party - when was it? who was coming? how many days til the party? - and he made sure his demands were heard - Buzzy-Woody party, alien cupcakes, balloons, and a red birthday shirt.

I think we did a pretty good job at meeting his demands, and I know that he had a blast. Which is really one of the greatest feelings you can have as a parent; to give your child a day they won't forget.

For Weston's birthday this year we decided to get Weston a trampoline. It's definitely a major purchase - much more than we've ever spent on one of Weston's birthday or Christmas gifts (probably more than all of his birthday and Christmas gifts combined...), but we knew that this will be a family toy that all our future kids will use and enjoy. Plus we needed to get Weston to stop jumping on our couches! So a trampoline seemed like a necessary purchase for us.

We had to be very sneaky with setting up the trampoline so that Weston didn't see it until it was finished. Well, the trampoline took longer to set up than we had anticipated, so he didn't actually get to see it til just moments before his party started. He was a bit overwhelmed when he saw it, but once he climbed up that ladder and walked on the tramp - he was sold. It was so much fun for us to watch him jump around and just love it.

For his birthday shirt this year I cut out the number three, in a font similar to the Toy Story logo font so that it would like the '3' from the "Toy Story 3" movie. I wasn't sure it was going to translate, but everyone seemed to get it, so that made me happy.

Couldn't have asked for better fitting clouds! Weston refers to these types of clouds as, "Buzz-Woody clouds". Makes me laugh every time he says it... cause he's absolutely right.

As far as decorations for the party go, I kept things pretty simple. I decided I was only going to use what I already had around the house since we had already spent so much on Weston's birthday present. So I had to get a little creative.

Almost as soon as Weston set his mind on a "Buzzy-Woody" party (as he calls it), I decided that it was only natural to have pizza... from Pizza Planet (like in the movie of Toy Story). Using cardboard left over from the living room chair we bought a few months back, I painted it black and free-hand drew the Pizza Planet logo. We then ordered pizza from our favorite local pizza place, Garbonzo's (which is dangerously located just down the street from our house!!).

Other than pizza we also had fruit and veggies as well as some chips and Cheetos (Weston informed me that we had to have Cheetos because Al drops them when he falls asleep in Toy Story 2 - yeah, he's obsessed with Toy Story. He knows the details inside and out).

I used a plastic tablecloth (from Hobby Lobby - bought it when it was 50% off so it was $1) for the table and backdrop. I then just cut out clouds out of computer paper to look like clouds in Andy's room and taped them to the tablecloth. I then borrowed Woody and Jessie from my sister, and Buzz from my mother-in-law. I even had all the paper products left over from his Mickey Mouse party last year - score!

Weston specifically asked for alien cupcakes. While the thought is very fun, I wasn't too thrilled because alien cupcakes require much more work and skill than I really possess. But I did my best. Blue cupcakes liners to match the alien's outfits, melted white chocolate chips to make the eyes, and sour apple gummy straws for the antennae.

My mom brought over a lot of toys from Toy Story that she already had. We hung some "Barrel Full of Monkeys" from the chandelier.

Alphabet blocks (which were also her present to Weston).

A vintage view finder, army men, Etch-A-Sketch, and Potato Head. I kept these inside on the coffee table instead of outside on the tables because I wanted them out on view, but I didn't really want kids to play with them a lot - and especially not outside.

As far as outside decorations we kept it simple again and used what we had. Streamers in red, yellow, light blue, and lime green and balloons in the same colors were placed along the back fence. I originally wanted a dark blue color for the party (like in the Toy Story logo), but the streamers and balloons I already had were light blue. So I went with it, and I think it worked out better with the light blue rather than Navy blue.

I also made a giant Etch-A-Sketch that said, "Happy Birthday Weston" to hang on the back fence.

I made one last cardboard sign - one of the infamous phrases of Woody, "Reach for the Sky". I thought it was only appropriate that it be placed next to the trampoline... where the little ones really would be reaching for the sky.

Karen and baby Harrison

Grandma had an "owie" on her elbow, so Weston insisted she have a "Buzz-Woody" band-aid.

Weston insisted on having a cupcake at the beginning of his party... and since it was his birthday we just went with it. Plus he had been patient all day waiting to have one until his party started.

The trampoline was a big hit with the kids.

Besides the trampoline Weston was also showered with loads of gifts!! Lots of Toy Story themed gifts: his own Buzz Lightyear, a Toy Story chair that's just his size, a giant airplane glider, wooden alphabet blocks, a toy belt and tools, a wind up Buzz toy, two of the remote control cars from Toy Story - one has Buzz and one has Woody, a wooden pizza play set, a gift card to IHOP (to get his pancake fix), bubbles, balls, and books. Seriously - this kid is spoiled!! (And a big thank you to everyone and all the generosity!)