“Our Epic Ninja Turtle Birthday IRL”
Let’s rewind to a totally average Thursday night—you know, the kind where you’re in pajamas by 8 p.m., half-watching a baking show while mentally running through tomorrow’s to-do list—when my son suddenly hit me with, “I want a Ninja Turtle birthday. Like, real ninja.” I blinked. Paused the TV. “Like… sewer lair real or pizza party real?” Without missing a beat, he looked at me, eyes wide with that fierce little kid confidence and said one word: “Mayhem.”
And just like that, it was game on. See, I’m a mom in my late 20s who freelances her way through the world of birthday party themes, DIY decorations, and invitation templates. This wasn’t just a simple “let’s order a cake and hang a few balloons” kind of request. Nope. This was a full-blown mission. My child wasn’t asking for a party—he was asking for an epic Ninja Turtle-level adventure.
Credit: TMNT Party Decor & DIYs by Fern and Maple
This was about taking my child’s very specific dream of mutant mayhem and turning it into a full-blown, budget-friendly celebration with real turtle power. And let me tell you, it turned out to be one of the most fun parties I’ve ever planned—even if I did end up stepping on a plastic sai in the dark and screaming loud enough to wake Splinter. But before there were costumes, cupcakes, or a living room full of miniature ninjas, there was one very big decision to make…
