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We are Jenna and Mark, a designer and pastry chef living in Brooklyn, NY and parents of two little girls. We are also owners of Whimsy & Spice, a Brooklyn confectionery. Sweet Fine Day is a visual record of business and family life in NYC and a journal of projects both in and out of the kitchen.

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this kid deserves a party

Posted by Jenna on November 5th, 2009 | Category: friends, life, the girls

Too bad we kind of suck at planning one. It isn’t Claudine’s birthday yet (that happens on Friday), but we slapped together a casual birthday party on a week’s notice for this afternoon. Mark squeezed in time to make a cake but everything else was literally bought and hauled back home within 15 minutes of guests arriving. It’s been that kind of week. But I’m glad to say that Claudine was very happy even if she was flip-flopping about the party all morning. And I’m glad we got our act together to throw one for her (low key all the way - no rented venue/hired entertainment for us, which seems the norm here). I mean look at this kid. She deserves a party. Man, I freaking love her.

Posted by Jenna |

Comments

Chai Ling
November 5th, 2009

Happy Birthday, Claudine! Happy being 3
linda
November 5th, 2009

aww…so sweet! happy (early) birthday, miss C!
trinsch
November 5th, 2009

what a darling! it looks perfect to me - and what a gorgeous cake!

i really like those parties best, where you are together. i like to take the kids out of the house for entertainment, but our home is to invite friends to be together, to entertain each other. so just like i wouldn’t hire someone to entertain when i have friends over, i wouldn’t do that to my kids. but ask me again when the kids turn six - i am sure they’ll want the whole big thing. and then we’ll see if i can so no to a sweet little birthday child
Brenda
November 5th, 2009

Three years old! And such a sweetie.
Cadmiumgold
November 5th, 2009

The pictures capture such a sweet and heartfelt birthday party for your little girl. Advance Happy Birthday to her! Sometimes the simplest one’s are the best!
Nina, Copenhagen
November 5th, 2009

Oh she must be one of the most beautiful kids, I have ever seen… Adorable! and the cake just looks too good
Lola
November 5th, 2009

Oh man, I don’t know what looks more enticingly edible - that cake or gorgeous Claudine’s chubby little cheeks. P.S. Love love love the blog! x x.
Fog and Thistle
November 5th, 2009

Happy birthday (almost) Claudine! Such beauty illuminated by three candles.
Susannah @ Art Nest
November 5th, 2009

So precious! I enjoy seeing another family do low key birthday parties. We do all family and then 1-2 close friends! Happy Birthday~
Tamara
November 5th, 2009

Claudine looks so cute! And your photos are always really beautiful! Love it!
neta
November 5th, 2009

Happy Birthday Claudine ! she’s adorable !
Looks like a terrific party, and the cake looks delicious !
Dinah
November 5th, 2009

Hee! For a second there I thought, “wow, Claudine got highlights for her birthday!” Then I scrolled down and saw that no, that isn’t Claudine at all. Too early in the morning, I tell ya.

Happy Birthday Claudine! Please give her a hug for me and pinch those cute chubby cheeks while she still has them!
Fiona
November 5th, 2009

That looks like a really nice party. And she definitely looks like she’s having fun.

I missed the comment thread yesterday, but I wanted you to know that one of the things I really loved about sending your cookie boxes was that they went out sooo quickly. That was a delight, since I was expecting a much longer turnaround.
Perideau Designs
November 5th, 2009

happy early birthday claudine!!!
mrs boo radley
November 5th, 2009

Happy Birthday Party, sweet Claudine!
Kate
November 5th, 2009

Claudine is such a cutie, her little face in that fourth picture is killing me with cuteness. She is going to be a little heart breaker soon…:)
julie
November 5th, 2009

mmmmm….wish that had been my birthday cake last week! lucky girl! happy bday cutie!
Amanda
November 5th, 2009

A girl as cute and adorable as yours deserves a such a fabulous party. That pink cake is freaking adorable too!
unha
November 5th, 2009

happy bday little C!
joslyn
November 5th, 2009

a sweet, simple at home party is the very, very best! lovely.
rifferaff
November 5th, 2009

once again i covet claudine’s dress. girl’s got style!
also, that is the cutest little pink cake i have ever seen!
sarah
November 5th, 2009

that cake looks absolutely amazing… but I suppose it’s to be expected! yum
Niki
November 5th, 2009

I love the photo where it looks like she’s thinking of a wish and Mia is poised to blow out the candles like “Get on with it already!” Haha. You’ve got some cool kids, not to mention gorgeous! Happy Birthday, Claudine! She shares the same birthday as one of my favorite people in the world so, that makes her doubly awesome. :]]
Stella
November 5th, 2009

Wow, happy birthday, Claudine! You guys are great to make it happen and put together a celebration for her. You can feel the love through this post.
Aimee
November 5th, 2009

Happy Birthday Claudine! Love this. I agree that low-key birthdays are the best. It’s so refreshing. Growing up, more than anything, I remember the time my mom took to create beautiful cakes for my birthday. And this cake looks DELICIOUS!
Karin
November 5th, 2009

Such a cutie! Happy b-day Miss C! And that cake looks absolutely delicious. I think low-key b-days are the best…they feel more sincere to me. : )
Kristen
November 5th, 2009

She is so darn cute! And I know this is random, but I adore her name, it’s really beautiful and unique. Love reading this blog!
Lois
November 5th, 2009

Happy Birthday Claudine! Such a sweet little face. Lucky girl to have a daddy who bakes cakes for her too.
Chris
November 5th, 2009

Happy BIrthday Miss Claudine!!
Jessa
November 5th, 2009

Gosh that cake looks amazing! Happy birthday CLaudine!
Jeanie from Evergreen
November 5th, 2009

C is perfect. Well, both of your kids are. And they are so lucky that they have the best daddy ever to bake the perfect pink cake, too. And we love the tiered dress.
chantaleP
November 5th, 2009

Is she only 3?! Why does she look so tall? Happy birthday to your super cutie. For a slap-dappy put together party, it sure looks great!
Lecia/A Day that is Dessert
November 5th, 2009

Happy birthday Claudine!! She melts my heart. Love her expressions, especially the one where she’s looking up at someone. And that pink cake is perfect.
Claudia
November 5th, 2009

A big happy birthday to Claudine! She really deserved this nice party with her great and fantastic family and friends! She must be very glad having you and Mark as her parents and Mia as her great sister. You are really a adorable and sweet family! Congrats
Joanna
November 5th, 2009

Looks like a great party!
Lori
November 5th, 2009

I can’t say enough how adorable your kids are! That cake looks so good too. Happy birthday Claudine !
Nidhi
November 5th, 2009

Happy Birthday Claudine! Such a sweet little party…as if your posts could get any more adorable but this one really is just so precious!
llillian
November 5th, 2009

happy almost birthday claudine! she is too adorable and I also love the dress.
angie
November 5th, 2009

What a cutie-pa-tootie! What kind of icing and filling? Looks great!
Shari
November 5th, 2009

She pretty much has one of the sweetest faces I’ve ever seen. And while I’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks now, it’s her face that brings me out of the wood work.

She was blessed with that same “angelness” my little man has been blessed with.

Lucky little scamps.
Christie
November 5th, 2009

Happy early bday, Claudine. Love the hair, love the clothes.
nichole
November 5th, 2009

Beautiful! Happy birthday to your sweet baby! Three?!?

I threw a very similar party for Alexander last week. I was so rushed the day it happened, that I had about twenty minutes before guests arrived. I could barely think or see straight.

I am with you, too. No hired entertainment or venues. Cupcakes and friends.
monica from hola!design
November 5th, 2009

gosh! she’s too cute! happy b-day for claudine!
Anna @ D16
November 5th, 2009

Awww. What a little muffin! Happy birthday, Claudine.
martha
November 5th, 2009

sweetness
ninja
November 6th, 2009

At-home parties are the best. Especially with strawberry (?) cake. What a gorgeous girl…

Happy Birthday, now for real, Claudine!
sara
November 6th, 2009

love it, can´t wait until my little ones second birthday. but maybe a party before that aswell, just for the fun of it! thanx for your as always lovely pics!
our little love nest
November 6th, 2009

She is positively adorable and what gorgeous photos!! I love thrown together parties the best…so fun. xo
read me...
November 7th, 2009

this looks like the coolest birthday party ever… she’s adorable and so are those balloons!
Lisa
November 8th, 2009

She is so beautiful. What a gift! Best years of your life are right this moment~
Courtney
November 9th, 2009

I love the picture of her pointing at her mouth sitting in front of the cake. Pretty pink cake, too! Happy Birthday to Claudine!
sharilyn
November 11th, 2009

Your Claudine is so incredibly beautiful, my heart aches a little just looking at her! My daughter will be three years old in a few months time as well, and this makes my heart ache even more! xo sharilyn