So technically, Pea turns three today. But… we celebrated her birthday with a party yesterday. The theme began as a tea party, since she’s all about her various tea sets right now. She has three that are currently in rotation, one is made of melamine from Target, another is porcelain from Chasing Fireflies and the third one? Well, as decadent as it might seem, it’s a tiny collection of lustreware dishes that I used to collect. Fervently. But then? Decided it was too “precious” for me, but yet it was also too precious to part with, and so… I held onto it. For a long, long time. And then, Pea came along. And she was made for this little tea set. So…

A tea party it was. I had her invitations printed with a little poem I wrote about joining her for High Tea. Something that I remember fondly as the theme of my Sweet 16, at The Drake Hotel, in Chicago. It just seemed so perfect.

I ordered a little porcelain tea set from Crayola that comes with paints. My plan? Everyone at her party would decorate one piece for her. Good call. It was so much fun. I love having a project that doesn’t entail a streamer with a pin on the end and a donkey’s biscuit hanging on a wall. As in pin the tail on the… And it was all going perfectly, according to my plan. And then? The balloon store. Pea wanted a giant “Dora the Explorer” balloon. Seriously? Check out the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade this November. You just might see this particular balloon taking center stage. And in addition, she wanted an Elmo balloon, an interesting choice since she doesn’t even watch “Sesame Street.” And while the control freak inside of me was screaming, “No! No! Quit hijacking my perfect little girl’s tea party theme,” the proud mama in me said, “Of course. Anything you want. It’s your party.” And so, Dora and Elmo it was. Along with an interesting assortment of colored balloons.

We had little finger sandwiches that were cut out in cute little shapes with my assortment of cookie cutters. And there were mini scones and lots of bowls of pretty little candy set up as a centerpiece. We had lemonade and limeade and fancy straws and streamers and signs and it was everything a little girl’s birthday party should be. And of course, the piece de resistance, her pink polka-dot cake with the tiara on top.

I was going to make it from scratch, but in the end? I bought cake mix and fashioned the two finished cakes into a pretty impressive replica of the original. Pea? Didn’t notice the difference. Phew. Dodged that bullet. In fact, she was thrilled wtih the cake…

My mother, GiGi, and her fiance came in from Chicago. And my husband’s mother flew in from Dallas, and brought along Pea’s cousin, who Pea used to refer to as her best friend. Although, he’s now been replaced by her little puppy, Lola. And her aunt and uncle came in, too.

We gave her the dream dollhouse she’d been asking for and she received lots of dollhouse furniture from GiGi and Ted. And from Honey and Dewey? This little retro kitchen from Pottery Barn. A sink, a stove and a refrigerator. Sure, it probably seems a little decadent for a kid, right? I thought so. But I was delighted that my mother-in-law gave me the courtesy of asking if it would be okay to give it to Pea for her birthday. How do you say no to that? And let me tell you, this set is incredible. It’s so well-made and it’s the sort of thing that when your kids outgrow it? You pack it away, ever so gingerly, and store it for your children’s children. I’m serious. It’s an heirloom quality gift and will certainly stand the test of time.

And me? I’m holding up better than I thought I’d be. I can’t believe my little girl is three! I look back at her baby pictures, and it’s like I don’t even remember those days. She walks into a room now, takes a look around and announces, “hey, what’s going on?” When did that happen? And she cannot pass a flower up without stopping in her tracks and stating, “I need to pick this flower for my mom.” My mom. When did that happen? It’s all going by so quickly. It’s like I’m looking at my little preschooler, and all I can see is me, bawling, as her father is walking her down the aisle at her wedding.

Time just flies…