If you follow me on instagram, then you know that our precious girl turned three this weekend. How I feel about that will have to be an entire post to itself, because quite frankly, I’m not sure just yet… let’s just say it seems totally unreal that she could possibly be three already. But anyway, today I just wanted to share some of the pics from her celebrations!
She started the day with a bedroom full of balloons! We started this tradition last year, and it is so much fun! Grandpa, Andrew, and I blow them up after she’s in bed. Last year, she was still in a crib and slept soundly through the nights, so we put them in her room before we went to bed. But this year, she is in a big girl bed and likes to get up at all hours of the night to play or read (or beg for broccoli – true story). So, we kept them in her bathroom until early the next morning about time for her to wake up. She was SOOO excited!
Elizabeth loves having tea parties. Not a day goes by that I don’t find her either having a tea party with her imaginary friends, or requesting to have one with me! So, it was kind of a no brainer that we would have a tea party theme for her birthday. She and her little girl friends are still too little for a formal tea party, but we tried to pull it off and improvise the best we could. It honestly totally snuck up on me though. I had a Pinterest board that I’d been saving ideas on for months. But only like a week ago (after we got home from vacation), I realized it was already here, and that I was way out of time for a lot of things I wanted to do, like make tutus for all the little girls (I completed one on Thursday night, and said forget it – there was no way I would have 6 others done in time), and the doily wreaths for the doors. I’m learning to let go of some things. It’s hard for this OCD Mama.
So saying all that, I kept it much simpler this year. I used things I already had, and didn’t go crazy on the food. The table runner you see below (and the background in the hutch) are actually curtains that we use to have in a bedroom at our house in Connecticut. The roses I picked up at Kroger (they were out of peonies, and mine are done blooming) and filled in the vases and little tea cups around the table with babies breath, fresh mint, and other little things from our garden. “3” banner from CM Handmade.
I made the cake (and let me just say, it was hands down, the best cake I’ve ever eaten! better than my wedding cake) and cupcakes – I will post the recipes soon. The mints, and all the cookies I picked up from the Dollar Tree – I mentioned this last year, but birthdays and holidays are the reason we stick to the 80/20 rule when it comes to our food (meaning 80% real/organic/unprocessed and 20% other).
I also made the cupcake toppers and some of the other things that you will see in a more detailed post soon!
I opened up my hutch and lined it with a curtain too. Most everything you see was already in there, and stays there all the time. I did remove a couple of things, and added the mirrored tray with pears and tiaras for the girls.
For food, I made sandwiches. No tea party is complete without cucumber salad! I also made chicken salad and then just plain turkey and cheese! (details on that free three-tiered stand coming too). I also had a fruit tray, veggie tray, mini pretzels, and other little cookies spread out. I made my bff’s super secret fruit tea (it’s amazing), pitcher or water with lemon, and pink lemonade!
And here is a quick picture of the inside of that amazing cake. I have never had or been to a birthday where the whole cake was eaten (and in less than 5 minutes).
It was a special day and our girl definitely felt loved! She was surrounded by about 30 of her favorite people and little girlfriends, and she sang “Happy Birthday to Elizabeth” from the moment she woke up until she went to sleep that night… I’m not even exaggerating. all day long. It was the sweetest thing.
It was a great weekend! And a great celebration for our girl!
I will share all the little details and recipes later this week, or maybe next. I am still sweeping up cookie crumbs. I use to clean up right away – put all the gifts away, toss all the extra stuff… But now I’m learning to savor it and let it linger a day or two. I think Elizabeth enjoys it more too…
You can check out her first birthday party here
And her second here
