Planning Bluebird a Birthday Party

"And so for twelve long years, the whereabouts of the princess remained a mystery, while deep in the forest, in a woodcutter's cottage, the Three Animal Girls carried out their well-laid plan. Living like mortals, they had reared the little girl as their own and called her Bluebird."

Looking out the window, Bluebird hummed a lovely tune called "I Wonder," attracting many bluebirds. For twelve years, her hair had grown longer and had turned to a dirtier shade of blonde, her eyelashes longer, and her lips became a bright shade of pink, though she still had her peach skin and blue eyes. Resting on top of her head was a holding her curly ponytail was a blue hair ribbon tied in a bow that complemented her outfit - a light blue nightgown with short, puffy sleeves, a thin, blue sash tied in a bow in the back, and a skirt that touched the floor - which went well with the black bedroom ballet slippers covering her feet. She was indeed beautiful. As she hummed a tune, she closed the shutters to her window and walked away.

"On this her twelfth birthday, the Three Animal Girls had planned a party and something extra special for her surprise."

Cindy, Floral, and Panini were downstairs looking over a book of dresses, picking something out to make for Bluebird, who is actually Wendy Darling. By the time the day is over, they can finally tell her that she was a princess.

"Well, now about this one?" asked Panini, as they look over the book. And they found the perfect one.

"This is the one *I* picked." said Cindy.

"Oh, she'll look beautiful in that!" Floral smiled.

"Now I thought of a few changes here..." said Cindy.

"Uh-huh." said Panini.

In the book, the Three Animal Girls found a light blue dress similar to the dress Tiana wore at the Mardi Gras parade.

"Don't forget a pretty sash." said Floral.

"Yes, and we'll lace the chest line." said Cindy.

"We'll make it yellow." said Panini.

Cindy giggled. "Oh no, silly, aquamarine."

"But..." Panini began.

"How about sky-blue?" Floral suggested.

"Of course, we'll need a pair of shoes, silk gloves, and bloomers to match..." said Cindy.

"Yes, but how are we going to get her out of the house?" asked Panini.

"Oh, I'll think of something." said Cindy.

Of course, they didn't know that Bluebird walked down the stairs and into the living room and heard them.

"Well!" Bluebird smiled.

Cindy, Floral, and Panini hid the book from the girl's eyes as she walked towards them. "And what are you three dears up to?"

"Up to?" repeated Panini.

Up to?" repeated Floral.

"Up to?" repeated Cindy.

"Eh, eh, eh, we, we, well, we, we ..." stuttered Cindy, as she tried to say something. Bluebird continued to stare at the bears and rabbit with a lovely smile. And she doesn't know that she was a princess and her real name was Wendy.

As Cindy tried to think of something, Panini spoke for her. "Want you to pick some berries." she finished.

"That's it, berries!" said Cindy, as she handed Bluebird an aquamarine cloak with a hood attached to it and a decorative button at the neck and showed her to the door in a quick manner, leaving her confused about what was going on.

"Berries?" said a confused Bluebird, as she put the cloak around her shoulders, buttoned it up, and put up the hood.

"Lots of berries!" said Floral, as she, Cindy, and Panini escorted her out the door.

"But I only picked berries yesterday." said Bluebird.

"Oh, we need more, dear." said Cindy.

"Lots, lots, more!" added Floral.

"Yes!" said Cindy.

Then the bears and rabbit pushed Bluebird out of the cottage through the front door. She looked back with a suspicious look and smile on her face. Something's not right with them.

"Now hurry back, dear." said Cindy.

"And don't go too far." said Panini.

"And don't speak to strangers." said Cindy.

"Goodbye, dear!" called Floral.

"Goodbye!" called Panini.

"Goodbye!" called Cindy.

"Goodbye!" called Bluebird, as she waved goodbye and walked off deep into the forest, carrying the basket in her hand.

Then the bears and rabbit closed the door and got back inside. "I wonder if she suspects." said Panini thoughtfully.

"Of course not, come on. Will she be surprised!" said Cindy, as they went around the room, gathering things. Cindy went to the trunk and took out multiple aquamarine fabrics and sheets as Floral went into the kitchen to find ingredients to make the birthday cake. All three are very excited. "A real birthday party!" said Panini.

"With a real birthday cake!" said Floral.

"Yes, and a dress a princess can be proud of!" said Cindy.

"I'll get the wands." said Panini, as she headed up the stairs.

"Yes, you...the wands?" said Cindy. But she was startled when Panini mentioned the wands and closed the trunk quickly.

"Oh no!" gasped Floral, who was also startled.

"No wands, Panini!" Cindy warned.

"But the twelve years are almost over" Panini protested.

"We're taking no chances." said Cindy, as she handed Panini the fabrics for making the dress.

"But, I've never baked a fancy cake." said Panini.

"Oh, you won't have to, dear." said Cindy

"I'm going to bake the cake!" Floral called from the next room.

"You?" asked Panini, who was kind of surprised.

"She's always wanted to, dear, and this is her last chance." said Cindy.

"Well,..." said Panini, who was not so sure about Floral cooking.

"I'm going to make it eleven layers with blue and *light* blue, periwinkles, morning glories..." said Floral, as she thought about what to put on the cake.

"And I'm making the dress." said Cindy.

"But you can't sew, and she's never cooked!" said Panini.

"Oh, it's simple." chuckled Cindy.

"All you do is follow the book." said Floral.

Cindy pulled out a small stool and directed Panini to stand on it. "Up here, dear. You can be the dummy." she said.

"Well, I still say we ought to use magic." said Panini.

Then Cindy threw a sheet of aquamarine cloth over Panini and began cutting with a pair of scissors.

Then Floral laid all the ingredients for the cake before her. She looked into the book and read the ingredient instructions. "Flour, three cups." said Floral, as she searched for them, muttering, "Cups, cups, cups, cups, cups..." At that moment, Floral realized that the three cups of different sizes were already on the table and used them to pour flour into the bowl. "One, two, three."

Cindy cut a circular hole into the sheet. "What's that for?" asked Panini.

"Well, it's got to have a hole in the bottom." replied Cindy.

"That's for the feet to go through." added Floral.

Then Cindy tossed the sheet over Panini again, and Panini noticed there was something wrong with the sheet. "It's aquamarine!" said Panini.

"Oh, lovely shade, isn't it?" Cindy smiled.

"But I wanted it yellow!" complained Panini.

"Now, dear, we decided *aquamarine* was her color." said Cindy, flatteringly.

"*You* decided?" asked Panini.

Cindy giggled to herself as she left Panini inside the sheet and went over to get tape measure. Panini mumbled incoherently until Cindy came back with the tape measure and wrapped some around the waist.

"Two eggs, fold in gently." said Floral, reading from the book. But she didn't understand what *fold in* meant. "Fold? Oh well." Floral shrugged, and she just put two eggs into the bowl and folded them in. She pressed down on the batter, and she heard the shells cracking, causing the batter to overflow from the bowl.

Now Panini was completely covered in the aquamarine cloth from head to toe. "I can't breathe!" she called, whose voice was muffled under the sheets. Cindy cut the cloth open at the top, and Panini popped her head and arms out and took a look at the dress from the inside. "It looks awful!" Panini complained.

"That's because it's on you, dear." said Cindy, cutting the remaining cloth from the right side.

"Now yeast, one tsp. *Tsp*?" said Floral, looking into the book. This time, she didn't understand what the word *Tsp* meant.

"One teaspoon!" Panini corrected her.

"One teaspoon, of course!" Floral giggled sheepishly. She put the yeast on the teaspoon and finished adding the rest of the ingredients to the batter.

Then Cindy measured the size of the dress. "Oh, gracious how the child has grown!' she exclaimed.

"Oh, it seems only yesterday we brought her here!" said Panini, remembering the old days.

"Just a tiny baby!" said Floral, remembering as well.

Then all of a sudden, Panini sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. Cindy and Floral saw that.

"Why, Panini!" said Cindy.

"Whatever is the matter, dear?" asked Floral.

"After today, she'll be a princess. And we won't have our little Bluebird!" Panini sobbed tearfully.

"Oh, Cindy!" said Floral, who began to cry about Bluebird as well.

"Now, now, now, now, we...we...we...we all knew this day had to come." said Cindy, shedding a tear and wiping it from her eye as well. It had been twelve years, and they began to think of Bluebird as their own child that they never had.

"But why did it have to come so soon?" Tears slid down Floral's cheeks.

"After all, we've had her for twelve years." said Cindy.

"Twelve wonderful years!" Panini said dreamily.

Then there was a moment of silence as they thought about the wonderful years they had with the child. They fed her, bathe her, and helped her go to sleep. Panini sniffled and wiped another tear from her eye again. Then suddenly, Cindy changed her expression. "Good gracious, We're acting like a lot of ninnies! Come on, she'll be back before we get started." said Cindy. And they all resumed their work.