A Tempest and her Teapot Party

 

Despite routinely burping at the table, littering conversations with words like "poop," "diaper," and "fart," Clara has been obsessed with teapots and teacups for quite a while, thanks mostly to Fancy Nancy, Pinkalicious and Strawberry Shortcake.

 

So against all china-preserving instincts, I decided that cultivating this interest in manners and propriety couldn't be a bad thing. After much hemming and hawing (a gymnastics party at the gym seemed so much easier!), I agreed to throw our brand-new 5 year-old a "teapot party" in her own backyard, complete with tea sandwiches, faux tea and 24 china teacups.

 

Miraculously, all the little girls were on their best behavior, and no teacups were harmed while producing this party -- not even when we broke out a metal baseball bat to bust open the star of the show, a teapot pinata.

 

 

 

 

We had the party on a Thursday afternoon, capturing the after-preschool crowd and any moms who wanted to stay for the madness, and simultaneously saving a score of dads from two hours of pink frilly craziness.

We kept the girls busy with crafts, including decorating teapot frames (thanks to Uncle Kyle for speedily printing out photos of each girl in their party finery!), and personalizing goodie bags to hold candy from the pinata.

Speaking of that pinata, these ladylike little girls had a blast abandoning their teacups and taking turns with a bat.

The teapot turned out to be a formiddable candy-holder. Luckily, Clara has a Daddy who was only too eager to impress all of these little ladies with his baseball skillz.

 

 

Clara had quite the assortment of preschool buddies, cousins and second cousins, girlfriends and smaller siblings to help her gobble up cupcakes, down raspberry "tea," and smash the pinata. Thanks to all who helped celebrate!!