Eri's 4th Birthday

We did it. We went Brazilian for Eri's 4th birthday party. 

Birthday parties here are a big deal: food and cake, of course, but also include rented toys, activities or party people for the kids to play with, and professional party planners who decorate elaborately and excessively in the chosen theme. 

Eri's party was at our apartment building's clubhouse. The theme was cowgirl; we had pizza made on-site for lunch and the kids played on an inflatable Mickey Mouse bounce house, a trampoline and at an art table. Was it over the top? For sure. But, you only turn 4 in Brazil once, right?

It took the party decorators 2 1/2 hours (that's not a typo)
to set up. Prior to the big day, they sent me a budget
and still agreed to come back after I cut
90 percent (that's not a typo) from it.

The cupcakes tasted as good as they looked. 

Poor Leo, 4 months old, could only look. Longingly.

A bounce house is appropriately called "pula pula" in
Portuguese, which translates to "jump jump."

Party favors. The only way to get kids to
go home willingly, but that's probably universal.

Art!

The gang. 

Jumping, 

Jumping,

and more jumping was never tiresome (figuratively) for the guests.

Every birthday party in Brazil (except Eri's when she turned 3;
 I didn't know then what I know now) has brigadieros at the cake table.
They are are little chocolate candies and
as much of a birthday staple here as the cake.

"Parabens para voce" (Happy Birthday to you.)

Making a wish!

The big 0-4. She took it in stride.

Howdy.

Awe, mom.