Happy Birthday Chrissie!

Yesterday was Chrissie's third birthday. Chrissie woke up to a birthday breakfast. I decorated the kitchen with birthday paraphernalia. I put photos up of Chrissie, starting from the day she was born to today. I scattered pink balloons all over the floor. I hung pink lanterns and a happy birthday garland, and made her favorite breakfast: french toast, hot chocolate with whipping cream, and orange juice. At breakfast, she got to open her first present, which was the book Cookies by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, recommended by my sister-in-law, an absolutely darling book (partly because the girl on the cover looks exactly like my niece Claire, which makes the book even more sentimental).
After breakfast I prepared Chrissie's tea party, which we had when Rick got home from work.
The day before her birthday I asked Chrissie what kind of cake she wanted me to bake. She said, "a berry cake."
A berry cake? Okay... "Do you want me to put raspberries on it with frosting...maybe yellow frosting."
She replied, "I want a berry cake with pink frosting and cupcakes. Doesn't that sound good?!"
Got it.


Before the tea party began Chrissie got to open another present that was a beautiful tea party dress (one for her doll as well) made by my mother-in-law, Chrissie referred to it as her "happy birthday" dress and as you can imagine was absolutely thrilled to put it on.

So, Chrissie had the perfect dress, "a berry cake", and lots of yummy food for her tea party: cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, bite size veggies, fruit, chocolate covered strawberries, and some very sweet herbal tea with loads of sugar cubes, thanks to Chrissie.
Our guests for the tea party included Rick, Chrissie's doll, and Matthew (who slept for the majority of it).

Highlights of the tea party included Chrissie getting into character and so politely pouring the tea ("would you like some more tea?...here you go...be very careful, it's hot...sugar?") and talking about anything and everything. Rick and I didn't say one word the entire time except for some thank yous and pleases. Chrissie never ceased offering Rick and I more tea and more sugar cubes. She was completely oblivious to the food other than the cake.
She was beside herself the entire day; she repeatedly clapped her hands and squealed. It was wonderful. She made her birthday wonderful; during some down time, she was even "wrapping" gifts for me.
The tea party ended with the highly anticipated birthday ritual of opening the presents. I made her a puppet theater that fits in the doorway and folds up, some felt puppets, and a quilt. And we bought her some alphabet flash cards and a tennis racket.
As Rick and I sat and watched Chrissie skipping around the house, giggling, and incessant chatting, we felt so blessed to have a happy, healthy three year old daughter. With Rick in the middle of his pediatric neurosurgery rotation, he has seen some really sad cases and has gained a greater appreciation for healthy children. And subsequently he has made me a total wreck (I'm very emotional and anything about children simply pushes me over the edge).
Chrissie is our little sunshine.