Lawson decided a few months back that she wanted to have her birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. It's kind of a relief that she is old enough to have requests for her birthday parties and I don't have to bear the responsibility of coming up with all the ideas! And this was the easiest birthday of them all! They do everything! It isn't quite as cute and custom...but with my schedule these days I'm going for easy! I did try to and personalize the party with a custom (not easy to find for a Chuck E Cheese themed party by the way!) invitation and we brought our own cake! 
Now let me back up...This party was a pretty shoking location if you know much about Lawson! She has been TERRIFIED of Chuck E since she was probably 2! I mean shaking and running for the hills terriefied anytime she saw Chuck E terrified. So, why would we as loving parents take her to Chuck E Cheese? She would ask to go! She really wanted to like him I think and she liked playing the games. But, when the mascot would come out....while all the other kids were running TO him....she was out of there! Pretty much complete hysterics. We would try to talk to her and explain that Chuck E was "just a man in a costume". But, there was no convincing her. Several times she told me "his head is just too big!" And after taking a second look...it is rather large! Anyway, about 6 months ago, Lawson got invited to one of her friends parties at Chuck E Cheese. She mustered up the courage to go to the party although she was a nervous wreck for the first hour we were there....so worried Chuck E was going to come out...and do what to her I'm not sure! When Chuck E did come out, Rob and I managed to convince Hudson to go give him a high five while Lawson watched. It wasn't 2 minutes later that Lawson asked me to go with her to give him a high five. She did it...and that pretty much changed everything. She followed him around for the next 30 minutes...and probably drove him crazy! She just kept iniating hugs and high fives with him! I think she realized she had about 4 years of catching up to do! A few days after that party is when she told me she wanted to have her party there...and has been talking it up ever since. So, this party was a right of passage for her! 
She was SUPER excited about the birthday crown...because has places to hold 8 tokens on it! And that IS pretty exciting! 
Now, the night before as I was tucking her in bed, she got a strange look on her face and says, "Mom, I'm not sure I want to have my birthday party at Chuck E Cheese." To which I replied as gently as I could, "Well it's a little to late for a plan B!" I reassured her she would be fine. She asked me if I would carry her in if she was scared and I agreed (thinking surely she would forget about this agreement after a good night's sleep!). But, as soon we pulled up in the parking lot she reminded me! And I carried my 50 pound 7 year old into Chuck E Cheese because she was scared of the location SHE had selected for her birthday party! 
But, as you can see, within 5 minutes she had made peace with the size of Chuck E's head! 
After playing tons of video games, the party really began! 
Chuck E plays lots of attention to the birthday kiddos! He puts their crowns on their heads and they get medals. They have a birthday sing a long with him! Big fun! 
Not sure the adults are enjoying the party quite as much as the kids are! 
Then it was pinata time and who doesn't love a pinata filled with tickets and candy?! 
Next up, the ticket blaster! This is a new feature to parties at Chuck E Cheese that they advertise on TV all the time...and Lawson could not wait! She has been talking about the ticket blaster for weeks! Before she got in, they asked her if she wanted to take a grown up in with her...and she picked me! I had no idea I had this treat in store! Although it was a bit embarassing to be in an enclosed tube trying to catch small tickets blowing in hurricane force winds wearing in credibly cute safety goggles while the rest of the guests watch, I must admit it was a lot of fun! Lawson and I were just cracking up! 
And we caught 700 tickets! 
Her family and friends brought many wonderful presents! 
I even caught Rob playing a Sponge Bob game! 
Having Nonie and Poppa there was pretty special too! They drove here and back to Little Rock all in one day to make the party! How sweet is that! 
The birthday child gets some extra tickets in addition to the tickets they earn from playing games. Lawson ended up with 1580 tickets! She could buy anything from the gift shop she wanted except for one half of the top row! Pretty exciting! She got this big gum ball swirly bank thing and a rainbow Chuck E Cheese T-shirt! 
The guests left after 2 hours. However, we still had more tokens. So, we stayed and let the kids finish them off. I think we were there til 6! That's 3 1/2 hours of Chuck E Cheese! Lawson and Hudson were just on a high...just buzzin around that place like they were on some kind of crazed mission! Their exhaustion hit them once they got still in the car! 
As we were leaving, Lawson said to me, "this was the best birthday party ever!" Music to my ears! I think birthdays are SO special and I want my kids to remember their birthday parties! I KNOW she will remember this one!Happy 7th La La!
