Faye turns Five: The Little Mermaid

Posted by May May 22, 2019

Faye turns Five: The Little Mermaid

As always, Faye invited only her immediate cousins and that’s about all the little children there will ever be. For how many more years I wonder, until she decides to invite her friends? Every year, the guest list doesn’t change and I like it that way. Oh this year, we had one of our neighbours splashing in the pool with us as they swirled in the waters like mermaids.

Faye made her own invitation card and these were the people she said she'd wanted present. I think I’m going to keep this precious thing in my trinket box forever! Boys with spikey hair and girls with two pony tails. Triangle dresses for the girls and elongated ovals for the boys. They were even drawn by height! Too cute.

She was so excited the night before her birthday she couldn’t sleep. I let her stay up a little longer to help with the setup since she will be skipping school on her birthday. We did so much it’s as if we were anticipating a party for 50! But really, it was only a party for five.

We skipped school for her to be part of the finishing touches to the setup, cake collection and everything else! I thought it'd be nice to have her around preparing her own party since she had so many ideas on how it should be executed.

Looks like I’m not the only party planner at home! She wanted her birthday cake and family to sing her Happy Birthday in her bedroom. Faye told me where to put the table, where she was going to stand, which dress she was going to sashay in, which colour mermaid costume she would like to don on and oh... so many instructions [I should say commands] for her cousins and us all.

I was so worried about logistics because she wanted indoor [bedroom] and outdoor [pool]. How am I going to get everyone showered, hair dried, changed and fed plus move the buntings from outside to inside all by myself!? Then I worried about the weather. I was also worried about my menstrual cramps because I had the most excruciating menstrual pain the night before that I had to take double dosage of painkiller just to sleep for the night. It’s so funny the things we tend to overthink because come what may!

The kids took care of themselves after pool time - showered and changed on their own. I had forgotten they are all grown up now. I cut myself some slack because I was losing blood and did not reuse any decor from pool to bedroom. Plus, the weather held up perfectly.

This party wouldn't have looked half as pretty if not for many contributions from local business owners I got connected with. This would be a great guide for you to plan your next mermaid party and I am more than happy for you to copy, adapt or improvise from our setup.

MERMAID IN TRAINING

Faye has been learning swimming from The Swimming Room since 3.5 years old. Since then, she had progressed so quickly we moved her from group to private class to help her realise her full potential. I requested for her coach to teach her mermaid strokes leading up to her birthday. It's essentially the same body movement as butterfly stroke minus the arm swings.

Regretfully, we didn't have her hard fin arrive until the day before her birthday and that was the only time she practiced with the fin itself. It was hard and heavy for her small frame considering she's only five. It takes a lot of abdominal work to get this little mermaid or any mermaid swimming! I am so proud she actually managed it.

Her coach reminded me that it would be dangerous to put these girls in the deep end of the waters at the pool party without proper training and so we kept our water play at shallow waters.

If not for her swim coach, she wouldn't have the courage or ability to be a mermaid on her birthday! I'm glad he was able to impart some mermaidy skills to her during our weekly lessons.

When you sign your child up as a student at The Swimming Room, he or she will receive a wetsuit, back float and swimming cap and S$25 off when you quote my name "Liang May"!

MERMAID COSTUME RENTAL

I've been patronising My Mini-Me for seven years now. Whenever I have a party to attend, I'll turn to My Mini-Me! The kids played Pirates, Trolls, Super Marios, Ninja Turtle, Superheroes and the latest Mermaid and Aquaman for Faye's 5th birthday.

What's good about rentals is that they are environmentally-friendly and you save that hefty sum of money to purchase S$80 worth of costumes you probably won't use again. Alicia, the owner of My Mini-Me, rents her costumes at S$20 for a week without the need for you to launder before returning.

She did not have mermaid costumes in her collection and sourced it for us specifically! Now, they have two mermaid outfits in store for your rental [red and pink] and if you decided you would like to purchase for keeps, Alicia is able to offer you a quote as well.

SMS 9237 5402 for rental bookings with your preferred date. Pick up location: Bedok Reservoir Rd OR Raffles Plc MRT (weekdays) (by appointment only). A refundable deposit of $50 is required.

SEASHELL FLOAT RENTAL

We rented our pool floats from Beachy Float when Ewan celebrated his fourth birthday and on our trip to Koh Samui for our week-long holiday. They have since rebranded and expanded their company to Eden Gifts renting not only pool floats but also selling balloons.

You can choose to rent or purchase pool floats and our preference is always rental.

This seashell float is available from S$32 for a day's rental up to S$35 for seven days rental [electric pump + S$4]. It falls under their premium float collection and when I visualised Faye the mermaid on it, the word that came to mind was, "PERFECT"! It comes with white handles and a white pearl, fitting two adults comfortably. Browse their whole collection! You'll be spoilt for choice.

Order your float rentals here and note that there will be refundable deposit of S$60. The fee for delivery is S$48 for two-way or you can opt for free self-collection at Ang Mo Kio.

MERMAID DRESS

The children have been dressed by Pocketpig Diary since 2017. They've got a wide range of affordable clothes and it's just wonderful they've got a beautiful mermaid dress for Faye's "out of water" party!

They've got sizes from 3 to 10 year olds at S$29.90. Faye wears size 5-6 [120cm] and it touches all the way to the floor like a gown.

Take 10% off everything in store when you check out with discount code "mayppd".

BACKDROP AND PROPS RENTAL

I only found out about Binky Kits two days before Faye's birthday! [I almost said 'wedding'] They've got the perfect backdrop I needed to pull off a shimmery, glittering, mermaid dessert table. Thank goodness I always throw the children's parties on actual days and this birthday happen to be on a weekday. Weekdays aren't birthday packed and we had their mermaid props available for rental!

What impressed me most about Binky Kits is that they hand-sew their backdrops which means, they are unique! Our mermaid backdrop was painstakingly sewn, one scale by one scale. They provided shell plates, treasure boxes, pearls and everything in theme.

Binky Kits is an event planning company but they rent their full set of themed props at S$180 too. If you aren't the styling type of mom and want it to be hassle free, they can set up and tear down at a fee of S$150. Note that there is a refundable deposit of S$150 if you choose to rent and set up on your own. Message them on Instagram!

BALLOONS, BUNTINGS, PLATES, CUPS AND BODY GLITTER

When I first heard of Quirky Dough, I thought they were making children's play things like Play Doh. They are actually an online store selling children's decor, toys, books and party needs. We love our mermaid themed loots from Quirky Dough!

Paper Cups, Mermaid Plates, Mermaid Tassels, Under The Sea Bunting and Audrina Wall Decal were all from them. Faye pasted the mermaid, bubbles and seashells on her door underneath the tassel we DIYed together. She said it is like a "Welcome To My Room" picture and it should be pasted on her door. I love the quality of these stickers. They use micro-suction technology, which means no sticky residue is left behind. You can use them on most smooth, flat surfaces – glass, metal, doors, and most walls. I've tried peeling it of my painted door and it peeled of no paint!

BIRTHDAY CAKE

We’ve got the highly acclaimed queen of chiffon, Susanne, to bake for Faye this year! If you've tried to book Susanne, you would know it's really hard to get a slot. We are plain lucky.

The birthday girl doesn’t take cakes with cream and chiffon was my best bet. She gasped when she saw her favourite jelly in the middle of her mermaid cake as she sliced her knife through it! I kept this cake a secret from her just to see her expression when we unbox.

Susanne asked me if I needed a candle and I told her I cannot bear to stick anything into this adorable cake! I didn’t have a suitable candle and intended to sing the Birthday Song without blowing out fire. Then Faye told me, “Mommy! 公公 bought me four crown candles. I want to use it!” And we placed the crown on top of the mermaid. She became a princess!

This cake feeds 12 people at is priced at S$165. Contact Susanne via her Instagram page @susanne.decochiffon and you can message her directly from there.

BIRTHDAY TREATS

Sweet treats! Putting together what I think the children would love.

There will always be busy fingers around the cake table and I thought these beautifully made Mermaid Box filled with donuts, seashells, mermaid tails and chocolates from Little House of Dreams would make our little guests very happy. They gorged themselves silly!

I do not have a sweet tooth and wasn't inclined to try these sugary treats. In any case, I wasn't left with any to taste because the children finished them all.

Birthdays are days where rules are always bent. Even if the birthday girl was coming down with a cough. Tried my best to say as little NOs as possible that day! Just go forth and be happy!

The mermaid box costs S$48 and you can check out their range of cakes and treats from here.

I hadn’t intended to get myself glamoured up. But my daughter felt that I should look sparkly for her birthday too. She even chose a cocktail tube dress for me to change into which had me laughing, “No Faye! This is too pretty! I just want to wear something comfortable.” But she said to me, “It’s my birthday so my mommy has to look pretty too!” I raised an eyebrow and she chose this other dress to fit the colour of her mermaid theme instead. Lilac is good. I had glitter [from Quirky Dough] all over my neck and arm, making me look like a crazy 老mermaid wannabe! Well of course she found it Very Nice. Alright gal. I’ll take whatever look you want on me. I walked around the estate going about doing my mommy duties photographing, children-minding and having my Daughter look at me proudly because I was her living work of art.

My heart was pounding and I was all jitters about her turning a year older. Save my crying heart! It’s always the same every year: I wish my children stay little a little longer. When I say that, Ewan would cry and Faye would give me a peck on my cheek.

Faye! You are a big girl now and yet not all that big. Are you still going to sneak into our room in the middle of the night and sleep in between us?

Happy Birthday Sweet Little Mermaid!