Anna Kate's 3rd Birthday Tea Party!

Preparations for Anna Kate's 3rd birthday party began months ago.  She has known for quite some time that she wanted to have a tea party.  When it came time to make invitations, I searched for "tea party invitations" on pinterest and let her look through page after page.  She settled on some that were being sold on Etsy for $40 for a set of 12.  No worries, we made our own that looked very much the same (and we only spent $7 on materials at Michaels)!

The tea bag reads: 

Wear your prettiest dress 

and your Mommy's pearls

We're having a tea party

Just for the girls!

Before all of her guests arrived, we had a little photo shoot in the front yard.  I just can't get over how grown up my sweet baby girl looks all dressed up! 

Once her guests arrived, each little girl was given a hat to wear (and to take home)!  Our first activities were to make crafts.  We made necklaces and bracelets, as well as pretty paper fans.  Here are some of the girls at work.

And here are few of the finished products!

 

After that, the girls all played in the playroom while I finished preparing the tea.

 

And then it was tea time!  Here is the table all set and ready for Anna Kate and her friends. 

 

She requested "Chocolate Cherry" cupcakes.  I had never made those before, but who was I to disappoint the birthday girl.  So I gave it a try and they turned out great!  Basically just chocolate cupcakes, and then a powdered sugar icing with cherry preserves mixed in (for color and flavor).  Special thanks to Daddy who went to two different grocery stores on Saturday morning in search of fresh cherries to garnish the tops! 

Her other menu requests included: Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Heart-shaped cookies, and Peach and Raspberry Tea.

The two littlest girls had a special table all to themselves!

 

Our little family (Caroline was more interested in eating than taking pictures)

Mommy and Daddy and the birthday girl!

 

Daddy dressed up in his tux so that he could serve all of the little girls their tea!

All of the guests singing "Happy Birthday" to Anna Kate!

Caroline and Heidi at their little table

 And here are all the little girls (and a couple of big girls!) on the front porch.  Anna Kate invited mostly all her little friends who are close to her age, but she just had to invite Anna Catherine and Landon too.  These two sweet girls LOVE Anna Kate and they were so fun to have at the party.  They helped with all the little ones and we so enjoyed having them!

 

From left to right: Caroline, Aubrey, Anna Catherine, Alice (who came from 2 hours away!), Anna Kate, Landon, and Nora!
Not pictured: Baby Heidi and Baby Ava, as well as Annie who had to leave a little bit early to go to the circus (it's a rough life...a tea party and a circus in one day!)

Thank you all so much for helping us celebrate our sweet girl!