Marcelo's Airplane Fiesta!!!

Thats right!  My baby boy turned one a couple weeks ago (june 28th).  I can hardly believe it!  Boy how you have changed in a year!

When I was thinking of his party I wanted it to be something fun (obvs) but relevant.  As soon as I mentioned this to Ernesto, he said it had to be Aviones.  Duh!  Not sure why I didn't think of that.  He is our air traffic controller, warning us whenever a plane is in the vicinity. 

Just like this:  (the first part is the airplane the last part is an araña -ie: spider)

I found this cute invitation on Etsy (of course!) from a shop called Invitation Station and had it within 24 hours.  The file was printable, but since I am a last minute kind of girl, my guests got an emailed invite.

I know...an emailed invite?  It's so nice to receive real mail these days, but...oh well.  

Just like Mateo's first birthday party,  we held Marcelo's at my parents house, so let me just thank Grandma & Grandpa (aka: mom & pop) for hosting and all their help pulling it together.  

And because everyone at the party was family, there was no need for "stress to impress."   

With that being said, I did have 4 little kids that were looking for a good time, and 11 adults who wanted some good food!  I didn't really mind staying up extra late the night before.  It was actually quite fun. 

My mom was right there with me.  She made the "feliz cumpleaños" bunting while I made the one with Marcelo's 11 monthly photos.  

  They looked so cute draped across the windows.  Marcelo looked so cute draped across the windows.

Although I was in charge of baking the cake, decorating the cake was papi's job.  He is proving to be quite the cake decorator!  

I made my moms chocolate zucchini recipe with Martha Stewarts cream cheese frosting.  You can't go wrong with recipes from either lady!

I printed out the Marcelo word collage and glued it onto some foam board.  I just love that picture of him.

So many ideas are pinned for "airplane birthday" so I stole borrowed a few.  While I was browsing, I came across Nick & Amber's blog Wills Casa.  Nick is a graphic designer and shared some printables they had made for their adorable daughter's party... for free!  Thanks so much guys!

The baggage claim sign, water bottle labels, inflight snacks, name labels etc were all from their site. 

Snacks were easy.  Pretzels, mix nuts (no peanuts in business class!) and the infamous Biscoff cookies.  I also asked my dad to make the jalapeño popcorn, which is always a hit!

While thrifting that week, I found a vintage suitcase for .50 cents!!  A perfect prop, right?   I used it to hold the little party gift bags for the little ones. 

By the way the little "suitcase" gift boxes (inside the big suitcase) are actually cereal boxes that my mom cut out and painted to look like little suitcases.  So.  Cute!

Another prop was this vintage atlas that my parents have had forever.  I used little red dots to show where marcelo traveled the first year.  He boarded a total of 13 flights!

Speaking of props, Bill & Barbie (and kids!)  came prepared for a flight.  

Airline uniforms and everything.  Luke was the "obvious tourist." I love their creativity... It was so fun when they walked through the door!  (they came in stereo-typical Mexican garb for Mateo's party-ha!)

I had bought some giant "roaster marshmallows" for camping, but forgot to take them.  I googled "marshmallow airplane pops" and there were a million.  My mom had dark chocolate, licorice and green m&m's in her cabinet so we ran with it.  They turned out so cute.  Darn tasty too.

The table came together nicely and everyone thought it was so cute.  Mission accomplished!

CAKE TIME!! 

Marcelo looks a little confused, but that is what big brothers are for...to help blow out your candles!!

He was not confused about the eating part.  Birthday boy loved his chocolate zucchini cake and proceeded to make a mess.  

After cake we opened a few presents! 

Marcelo had several helpers to open his presents.  This is pretty much sums it up.  

And what was inside that there box was a very popular item. 

Yep....and it blows bubbles.  Genius!  The birthday boy was able to push it for a little bit, but a certain big brother thought that the maquina was his and continued to claim ownership.

Moving right along.  Are you still with me?

Well, of course there was a piñata!!  My mom actually told me months ago that she had found one at a yard sale.

A fish though?  What does a fish have to do with airplanes?  Well...what if we took a flight down to Mexico and ate fish tacos?   Siiiiiiii, now we're talkin'!

My family is crazy for Ernesto's fish tacos.  He wanted to change it up a bit though.  He grilled the fish [instead of frying it,] used napa cabbage instead of regular and made this killer Vera Cruz salsa from Bobby Flay.  Que.  Rica! Everyone approved!  (we ate before the cake by the way)

  All of the kids took a crack at the piñata, starting with the birthday boy.

The kids went around a few times, but this sucker was xtra hard!  Just look how hard it's being hit and... nothing!
Ultimately, the piñata had to be cracked by an adult so the kids could finish him off and run for the candy.  Which they did.

My dad bought this awesome pool and so the kids did some swimming too.

The kids liked their little party boxes which were filled with some little airplanes, play-doh, a magnifying glass and coloring book/crayons.  

 The kids weren't totally into this, but I made them step into this cute airplane costume I picked up at a yard sale for $2.  (which will be someones halloween outfit later this year)

Come on!  It was an airplane party.  They will thank me later for these adorable pictures.