A's Cupcake Birthday Party was a Complete Success!

I am so excited to report that my daughter's Cupcake Birthday Party was a blast for all the kids in attendance.  The idea for this party was a spur of the moment decision to have cupcakes for the neighborhood kids on the afternoon of A's 8th birthday.  It was spur of the moment because last Saturday I was on the phone with hubby finding out - much to A's disappointment - that he would have to work on her birthday.  This was very disappointing to A for 2 reasons:  1.) Hubby used to be self-employed and had made the habit of being at home on each family member's birthday.  We are still not used to him always being at someone else's beck and call.  and 2.) A was hoping to take her birthday trip to the New Orleans Aquarium ON her birthday day.   Since I couldn't bear to see the disappointment on A's face, I told her we would have cupcakes for her neighborhood friends.  The cupcake idea quickly turned into a full fledged birthday party with homemade invitations and coordinating party supplies!
We invited 8 friends and 7 of them attended the party, and the 8th friend visited earlier in the day.  I say 'attended the party' loosely.  You see, the hours for the party were from 2 to 4.  Two of the children showed up at 11 !  Two others came and went a few times in a 30 minute time frame around 11:30 - 12 ~ one of those children returned at 2 for the party.  Another 2 children came at 12:30.  And 2 children arrived around 2 for the party.  The last guest left at 6.  These children are all used to coming and going around here, so I guess they figured birthday party day should be no different!   So, my daughter ended up with a 7 hour party!  LOL
All the children enjoyed decorating their own cupcakes - yes, plural.  They were all asking to decorate another, so I let them all have 2.   All the cupcakes were very pretty, and apparently very yummy also!
I hope my kids get enough rest tonight because we have to get up early and head to New Orleans for A's birthday trip.  It is almost 2 AM and I am sitting here blogging while the cloth diapers wash.  I didn't have time to get the diapers washed - what with 10 kids running around at a 7 hour long birthday party!  I need a vacation.