At Keira Jane's third birthday party, there was:
1. One incredible, delectable birthday cake.
It was, without doubt, the best cake I have ever made or eaten. I had to leave this cake behind the day after the party as I departed for a wedding in Washington, and I dreamed of it nightly. It was a mash up of three great ideas that made cake magic when combined all together:
- Shape idea came from this blog. It's two bundt cakes! I took a simpler approach with the M&M's (randomly stuck on, with help from Keira, instead of in rows). Custom colored M&M's found at Zurcher's.
- Bundt cake recipe came from here.
- Frosting recipe came from here.
2. One balloon curtain.
Much cheaper than helium...and adorable to boot.
3. One very excited little girl, who had to be kept away from these three presents for just three hours.And even that was too long.
4. Dozens of pretzel butterfly appetizers.
These are not only easier than they look, but also better tasting! (Granted, I didn't expect them to taste good at all.) These are a combination of fruit roll ups (which stick to the pretzels all by themselves!), melted white chocolate, and Gusher's fruit snacks cut in half. Find the recipe here.
5. One time-saving tip:
Unroll a bunch of the roll-ups, stack them up, and cut the wing shapes a bunch at a time with kitchen shears.
6. One blurry photo of a tiny archer.
Can you tell she's obsessed with the movie Brave? She often says, "I am Medida, first born of [unintelligible], and I'm shootin' for me own hand!"
Note: I'm trying to learn how to use my nice camera again, instead of relying on the iPhone all of the time.
7. One little girl who got very embarrassed by the attention of everyone singing to her.
I don't think I've ever seen this expression on her before, and I love it to pieces. We tried to tell her that princesses "do not put their weapons on the table," but she just wouldn't listen.
8. Two extra helpers to blow out the candles.
This time they weren't trick candles, like the ones I inadvertently bought for her 2nd birthday. Mean mommy.
9. One happy family.
And a whole bunch of guests we failed to photograph. Sorry guys. Thanks for coming.
10. One tired little princess at the end of the party.
She does have a Merida wig, but she wouldn't leave it on for long.
11. Three years of birthday memories.
Looking forward to many happy returns.