This past Thursday was Little Tofu Fox's third birthday! Happy Birthday to my big three year old!
I asked Little TF a couple months ago what kind of birthday party she wanted. "A goldfish party," she replied, in one of her random requests that tend to send me scrambling. This time, though, I was on top of things! I placed an order with a Major Online Party Retailer almost four weeks ago; since I've played the overseas shipping game (Will it get here in time!? What do I do if it doesn't!?) more times than I care to count, I paid for expedited shipping.
Fail. None of the super cute goldfish drinking straws, paper plates, napkins, goody-bag stuffers, or color-your-own-beach-balls made it. Major Online Party Retailer, I highly suspect that, even though I paid extra for faster shipping, you shipped it via USPS Standard anyways. That, or the goons at our military post office haven't decided they need to deliver it to me, yet. I will give you the benefit of a doubt for now, Major Online Party Retailer. We'll see whenever the stuff finally gets here.
So where did I turn to save my three year old's fishy birthday party? The 100 Yen Store, of course!
I went hunting at two different 100 Yen Stores. The very small store that shares a building with my grocery store (which is where a lot of 100 Yen Stores tend to be located) was where I found the super-kawaii Hello Kitty fishing games! These are based on a popular festival booth game, in which children use paper nets to try and catch as many goldfish as possible, before the net disintegrates. Perfect for Little TF's birthday Goldfish Party theme!
Next, I found some cheerful beach balls. There were about 20 colors to choose from, so I had no problem matching gender and even favorite colors. The gift wrap section had clear plastic bags with little metallic twisty-ties, which only slightly made up for the loss of the goldfish-printed goody bags that I ordered from the previously mentioned Major Online Party Retailer. The little plastic fish that I ordered from Amazon did make it in time, of course, so I was able to toss those in.
Little TF's birthday Goldfish Party was saved! We may not have had all the other fun stuff, but I could at least put the fishy goody bags together and draw little yellow frosting fish on top of her hot pink cupcakes. Really, that's all a three year old needs to be happy, anyways, right? Thank-you, 100 Yen Stores!
goldfish...random. Was that an assumed Hello Kitty and ___? theme request? I mean, what's Little TF without a little Kitty-chan, right?
ReplyDeleteAs you know, with Little TF, Hello Kitty is kind of a given. In fact, Hello Kitty is kind of becoming like the background noise in Little TF's life...jammies, dishes, toys, bicycle seat, bubble blower, party hat, coloring books...you get the idea. Hello Kitty really just goes with everything.
ReplyDeleteThe Goldfish idea...you know how this post mentions the Japanese festival game of fishing for goldfish? Little TF may or may not have actually caught one at a festival a few months ago...and Little TF's goldfish may or may not be living in an IKEA vase...still...and growing bigger... I have no idea what we're going to do when we PCS.