Aw, yeah. Clara’s second birthday party was packed with food, family, friends, fun — and worms. She chose the theme herself because she loves looking at, drawing, and dreaming about worms. So… worm to your motha!
We were so grateful to be surrounded by the people we love. The birthday girl had an amazing time, and the 75-degree weather and sunny skies were the perfect finishing touches. Let’s get this party breakdown started.
But first: the setup. Clara turned two this week, and we kept the decorations simple and cheerful. The sunroom was decorated for the occasion with balloons and streamers from Target, a colorful tablecloth from HomeGoods, and plenty of worm-themed treats.
We used the sunroom, patio, and carport so guests could spread out comfortably — about 30 people total, including ten little ones under four. If it had rained we would have moved indoors, but it felt especially fitting to have kids running around outside. The sunroom, which opens onto the patio, served as the food and drink station so we could keep the grub bug-free (fake worms only).
Here’s a close-up of the food table just before guests arrived. The table was actually covering a secret project, so a tablecloth was very handy. We’ll share that project when the time is right.
We labeled the food with playful worm-themed names printed at home: “worm crudités” (long slices of carrots, cucumbers, and cheese), “puffed worms” (white cheddar puffs), “salted worms” (pretzel rods), and “worm dogs” (hot dogs cut and boiled into curly shapes). The worm dogs were a huge hit with kids and adults alike.
The flowers on the table were a sweet Mother’s Day gift from John — thanks, hubby!
All the bowls and plates were things we already had. They didn’t match in shape, but the white pieces looked nice against the bold tablecloth and kept the display from feeling too busy.
We also offered little cups of gummy worms, some draped over the rim to look like they were crawling out. It’s the little things.
Pizza is always a crowd-pleaser, so we had a separate table for that. For fun, one pizza was topped with peppers and onions arranged like worms and another with pre-cooked spaghetti to mimic a wormy texture. The cheese and pepperoni pizzas were labeled “dewormed pizza” — yes, we leaned into the theme.
Guests enjoyed the bird napkins we found at Ikea (birds eat worms, after all).
On the other side of the sunroom we set up a drink station. We served glass bottles of orange soda and Coke for the adults, Izze and sparkling water in a beverage tin, plus apple juice and water for the kids. We topped a few apples with gummy worms for a silly touch, and those disappeared fast.
We even used pink twisty straws that looked delightfully worm-like.
The room is still mostly unfinished, so we taped Clara’s monthly photos from the past year to the wall and added a set of 12 fun worm facts. John gathered trivia and laid out the cards for a cheerful, kid-friendly display.
We decorated the carport with pink and orange streamers to make it festive without spending much. I hung the fabric banner I made for Clara’s first birthday on the half wall and arranged small watering-can favors for the little guests. Each was filled with bubbles, a tiny shovel, and a plush “worm” we converted from an inexpensive Ikea snake toy.
A few paper lanterns and some spiral paper decorations finished the space. For the kids, we set up a play station with bubbles, a Melissa & Doug bug puzzle, crayons, and color-the-worm pages I sketched on cardstock. The kids loved coloring their own squiggly creations.
There’s nothing like a patio full of friends and family. Clara was especially charming with the pizza — she took a bite from my slice, then politely asked her cousin Jake for a bite of his, and continued asking a few people for tastes. It was adorable and perfectly on-brand for a two-year-old hosting her party.
Dessert was a favorite: “dirt” cupcakes. We bought simple vanilla cupcakes, pressed them icing-side-down into crushed Oreos, and topped them with gummy worms. The Oreo crunch was a crowd favorite over the plain-iced versions.
Clara picked her own green gummy worm for her special cupcake. We placed two pink candles on top, sang, and helped her blow them out quickly — she’s still a bit wary of real flames after a previous hibachi incident.
We managed a few family photos — not the classic perfect shot with everyone smiling at the camera, but some lovely candid moments, complete with floating bubbles and genuine smiles.
Clara took the worm theme very seriously and delighted in feeding gummy worms to anyone who would accept them. She and her dad even recreated a sweet Lady-and-the-Tramp-style moment sharing a treat.
Later, we opened presents in the carport. A wooden worm (really a snake toy) from one of Clara’s friends was a favorite. Funny enough, we’d played with the same toy years ago for a Halloween project before we ever knew Clara would become obsessed with worms.
The day wound down with people milling about, kids playing, and leftovers being eyed by our dog Burger, who found a cheese puff under the table and happily claimed it.
Overall, it was a wonderful day. We’re so thankful for our friends and family and for our joyful little girl. I always get emotional at her parties — she’s our miracle — and this one was no exception. Thanks for celebrating along with us in spirit.
Oh, and we made a video recap of Clara’s year — just for our family to enjoy, not shown at the party. It’s a sweet little seven-minute look back with some favorite moments and outtakes.
Love that girl. Love you guys too. Lots of mushiness today. What did you do this weekend? Any Mother’s Day fun? Any worm-related antics?
P.S. We have a few outtakes from this month’s Clara photos on Young House Life for anyone who wants to peek.