by hand

My nails were dressed for the occasion. They are starting to chip as I mop and clean up from the party and try to figure out what to do with the extra cones and twenty pounds of rainbow sprinkles.

I always start with a vision, make a plan and hope that it all comes together just as I imagined.

As for this party, I was definitely thrown some obstacles: not finding rainbow sprinkles until three days before the party, having the wrong size cones, not being able to find Fluff in Portland to make Stacie's magic frosting and using another brand resulting in wasted time and really, really bad frosting and a mad rush to come up with AND frost the sixty cupcakes I made. So much for my vision of them actually looking like soft serve; there wasn't enough time or frosting to do so and it took a wonderful friend to remind me that no one really likes that much frosting anyway and to just "let it go", these would be cute little dwarfed ice cream cones.

She was right.

I was so lucky that she came to help me because even though I awoke at 6am, I was running out of time. I realized it is very hard to pull together a birthday party for your two year old and still give her the attention she deserves on her special day. When our fabulous babysitter arrived early  I was very excited to see her. One hour left with a whole lot of decorating and fighting with the wind. Crepe paper streamers and wind do not mix. Guests arrived, I was still setting up. I didn't take photos and didn't really want to because things were not looking like I had planned. I'm a psycho about this. At least I can admit it.

It was a whirlwind. Eight kids+ twenty-five adults and two infants= a bit chaotic, at least for me running all over the place. It wasn't until some of our guests had parted that I actually had a chance to sit down, relax and enjoy the company of our friends that remained.

I do this to myself, I know!  I want to make things by hand and have it "perfect".

The thing is, when I saw Clementine enjoying her party, happy as a bowl of vanilla ice cream covered in rainbow sprinkles, I realized that she doesn't care if it's perfect; actually, to her it IS perfect.

THAT is the most important thing.