Charlotte Annie's Swimming into Seven / Mermaids 7th birthday party (March 2023)

Last year's birthday party was the most ambitious one yet. It's always fun to reflect on the party nearly one year later as I prep for the newest themed party for this year. 

As with Charlotte's 4th - 6th birthdays, we utilized a Facebook event page to invite family and friends to Charlotte's 7th birthday party. Below is the image we used. It was from a night of Trick or Treating that literally was thrown together at the last minute as Charlotte had changed her mind on what she wanted to be minutes before leaving the houes to go trick or treating. Thank goodness we had a mermaid blanket that I was able to convert to helping Charlotte become a walking mermaid that evening! 

So looking back at last year, as we celebrated Charlotte turning seven, I had reserved a large room at my work in one of the academic buildings. I began prepping the party decorations and room decor shortly after the New Year in an attempt to change the large classroom space into an "Under the Sea" sort of feel as we sought to embrace the Swimming into Seven / Mermaids theme.

Thankfully, with the help of a couple middle and high schoolers, we were able to decorate and provide multiple activities/crafts for the kiddos. They were able to make popsicle boats, yarn jellyfish, and played ocean-themed games and activities. 

Charlotte wore a beautiful mermaid dress and loved her golden birthday necklace we gifted her. Since she turned seven on the 7th, I wanted to celebrate in an extra special way by giving her the mommy and me mermaid necklace. Lo and behold, within her birthday book, there was also a special necklace which led to our presenting her with the necklace during the readaloud.

It seems the pictures uploaded in backwards order so reflecting from end to start it is!

Based on how quickly Charlotte fell asleep that night, it's safe to say that Swimming into Seven / Mermaid-style was a success! 

She wasted no time in using some of her new bath bombs that made it feel like she was swimming or bathing in apple juice. ;-)

Her mermaid toy was able to check out the popsicle boat she constructed during the party during bathtime!

One of the items in the favor bags was a mermaid notepad with a pen that used invisible ink to send secret messages. This is what she had in her hands as she opened up gifts at Grandma and Pa's house after the party.

                                 Her sparkly starfish barette also completed her mermaid outfit.

Below are pictures from the party. Adam, sporting his mermaid security t-shirt, dove right in and helped with the various crafts and activities we had planned for the children. Here he is helping to glue together the popsicle boats.

Cousin Clark and Uncle Mark helped by passing out the marker stampers for making designs on the flags for the popsicle boats. Clark is used to helping out given his track record of coming out in the summers to assist with Vacation Bible School at church! ;)

                                        Charlotte posing with her socktopus she made and Pa!

                                                                   Cousin galore! <3

After the party, we headed to mass and then to our favorite Italian restaurant in Wintersville: Pastaio.

              A toy after my own heart! Uncle Mark and Aunt Liz gave Charlotte her ver own Subway!

Here are the makings of the socktopus and paint your own wooden shark and mermaid crafts!

The napkins contained schools of fish, we had "ocean water" bottles in the favor bags, and the bubble wand was topped by a cute whale!

We sent each kiddo home with a sand dollar cookie and a mermaid cupcake in the little dome cups.

                The favor bags also contained goldfish swimming amidst blue jellybeans for water. 

The favor bags were personalized with the kiddos' names and could be colored later to personalize the mermaid or fish tail that was drawn on each bag.

Birthday Dessert of three scoops of gelato at Pastaio was thoroughly enjoyed by more than one cousin.

                                                           My tiramisu always satisfies!

                                                          Grammy & Charlotte Annie

                                                 So thankful for family to help us celebrate!

    We enjoyed looking through the annual birthday photo albums while waiting for our food to arrive!

                 Allison always wears the cutest matching outfit to the birthday themed parties! :)

                                                                      Boys will be boys!

                                                 Love her smile! She is always so happy!! <3

                                        So much action going on in this shot! :-)

                          Mason Noelle and Grammy helping to ensure the favor bags are ready!

                         This station involved creating an ocean scene with removeable stickers.

          The fish game involved playing memory and making matches with pictures of fish that was a hit!

Music/Ocean Scenes that were depicted on wall were from this link on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prfZFyp4XZk 

                                            Just two mermaids getting ready before the party!

                                                         She's growing up....but not too fast!

                              Mermaid Brigade was the PERFECT pattern to wear for this party! 

Just a snippet of the planning document I use for planning these themed parties....the Swimming into Seven / Mermaids theme was a splashing success! I've linked it here in case anyone would like to use the ideas I used. 

                                     We love you mermaid-loving wonderful girl! <3