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I’ve had these pictures from my daughter’s birthday celebration tucked away to share since before the holidays. I had decided to keep it simple this year, my intention was specifically that this party was NOT going to be a “blog-worthy” project. Her birthday falls in December, always a stressful time of year, so adding one more major event into our life always seems impossible.
Inevitably, despite my good intentions to not go overboard with her celebration, I start feeling sentimental about how many more pink-themed, giggling-little-girl filled events will we have before she is ‘too’ old. When she requested a ballet-themed birthday {she’s my little dancer} and when her party fell on the day her ballet school’s Nutcracker opened, I couldn’t resist a few extra touches to make her day special.
Having a little girl after two boys also calls for a little extra pink and girly whenever we celebrate. We have had many boy birthday parties here over the years but I admit to loving every minute of being able to enjoy the girl ‘stuff’ with her. Celebrating her years, which are flying by, is just too good of an opportunity to miss no matter how crazy the time of year is {note the “merry christmas” banner in the background}.
I am incredibly fortunate to have two very talented neighbors who get the credit for the sweet touches for the party. My friend across the street made the cupcakes, and while she says she doesn’t have a ‘business’ making them, she most certainly should. She did all the cupcake decorations by hand, they were too gorgeous to eat. Though, of course we did and they were delicious.
I had merely requested a pink ballet themed cupcake and she blew me away with what she delivered. In the same regard, I ordered sugar cookies from another neighbor as a take home favor for the little guests, these were also too pretty to eat. {her Facebook page is here, I think she will ship upon request}.
{I added the tags myself}
The morning of the party I ransacked my party bin and pulled out leftover pink paper plates, napkins and a box of juice boxes, and then ordered pizza–so this was far from ‘an over the top’ event. I found an inexpensive garland which I decorated my chandelier with to brighten up our dining room.
{paper confetti placemats available HERE}
When it comes to children’s parties my strategy is to have entertainment so they stay busy and in this case, reinforcements. We have a beautiful babysitter/family friend who is also an accomplished ballerina so I invited her to come dance with the girls. We started the event with them dancing around our basement and they learned a short nutcracker routine, even the non-dancer guests seemed to be having fun.
In year’s past I’ve exhausted myself trying to create perfect birthday parties. This year I did the least I have ever done and found it to be the most enjoyable party we’ve had. Our girl loved every minute of it and even though we only had a few special young guests it still was everything it needed to be.
The party wrapped up and a few hours later my Mom, my daughter and her best friend ended the evening enjoying the best Nutcracker performance I have ever seen.
It could not have been a more perfect day 🙂
XO,
