I recently wrote a letter to my 4-year-old birthday girl, and we actually had her family party a little over a week ago, but I’m just getting around to sharing party details.
When I told Rae we’d be having a little family birthday shindig and that she could pick a theme for it, she immediately requested a ballerina party. But when she saw a tiara pinata at Hobby Lobby, we decided to combine a princess and ballerina theme. (My girls are really into pinatas.) She asked her Gaba to wear pink to her party like her, but she wanted a pink and purple cupcake. Birthday princesses can get away with being persnickety. :-)
I made simple chocolate cupcakes out of box, but I did go the extra effort to make homemade buttercream frosting ( mix together 1 stick of butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk). I found these great vintage ballerina cupcake toppers over at Etsy. We served the cupcakes with the strawberry ice cream Rae picked out.
Rae also requested pink punch to drink from her royal cup. I mixed together about half a gallon of raspberry sherbet with two liters of raspberry ginger ale. Yum!
Madeline, Rachel, and I also made pretty flower straws by adapting this Family Fun magazine craft (I can’t find a link over at Family Fun, but here’s a post from the mom who submitted the idea).
Rae wanted pizza for dinner, so we ordered some pies. Easy enough.
It was a lovely, simple party and just what the princess ordered. I know birthday parties can get out of hand and that families can easily turn these events into materialistic hoopla. However, what this special day was for Rae, her sisters, and for her proud parents was a day to savor family, to make good memories, and to celebrate a sweet girl who is very special to us.
Bear with me as I share a few more images from the par-tee!
Your girls are so beautiful! Lovely memories are really the best birthday gift! Looks like a really special day.
Melanie B recently posted…Engaged
I love the simplicity yet going with a theme– you are right, these things can get out of hand. I tend to go to either extreme but you showed in such a beautiful and touching way, that you can add simple, special touches to a party and it adds SO much.
Thanks for sharing! Great ideas!
It looks like a wonderful celebration! You’re right that so many get caught up in the trappings rather than the joy. :) It’s good to see such a happy, simple, special day.
Kate recently posted…pretty- happy- funny- real
Those girls are just so stinkin’ cute!! As much as I would love for you to experience “boy” mom-hood just once, you and Dave just make the best little girls!!!