isabella's tea party

We had Isabella's birthday the Saturday before her birthday on Monday. When I asked her who she wanted to invite she just named grandparents. So we kept it to just family this year, and she had one friend come. I have yet to brave a big friend birthday party. Many years for that, I guess. I decided to do a tea party for her. 

I didn't want to spend a lot so I tried to use things we already had.  I used my china and some of my mom's, and decorations from her other parties.

My mom makes number sugar cookies for each birthday. And speaking of my mom- as I was getting things ready early the morning of the party, my dad called to tell me he had taken my mom to the hospital that morning for heart attack symptoms, that they were running tests and going to keep her overnight, and she wasn't going to make it to the party. He said she was adamant that she wanted things ready for the party before they went to the hospital. So she had all of the things she was bringing together and called my sister to come pick them up from her house and bring them to me. So my sister spent an extra hour driving to get the things for me, and my mom worried about having it ready when really she just needed to go to the hospital to be checked out. I cried in the shower because I was sad my parents couldn't come, and worried if things were OK. And for a minute I felt really old to be hosting my kid's birthday party without my parents and it made me think about a day when they won't be around to celebrate important milestones with us and it made me very sad. Dramatic much? This is what sleep deprivation does to me. :) Anyway, my in laws rushed to come over early and were such a big help, and my sister came and helped, and it all came together in the end.

Tea pot and tea cup cupcakes

Isabella told me the night before that the party needed blowers.

For the tea party we had hot ham and cheese sandwiches, a veggie plate, cream cheese stuffed strawberries, mini blueberry muffins, lemon cookies, a cheese ball, pretzels (per isabella's request), and nutella sandwiches. Strawberry lemonade, water, and tea of course!

The girls' "tea" was strawberry lemonade. Isabella loved pouring it herself. 

Opening her gifts...just a little bit excited! 

Nana and Great Grammy                                            The boys sat at their own "tea table"

Cake time! When I asked her what kind of cake she wanted she said she just wanted to have ice cream. So she licked some of her icing and ate her ice cream.

Everything turned out great, and she had a great time. She told me twice it was "the best party ever". I couldn't have done it without everyone's help. Many thanks to everyone who made her day special.  Happy Birthday baby girl!