Teeny Tiny Cake Smashing!

Read about the theme and decorations for Adelaide's Teeny Tiny 1st birthday party here.

So, again, here's Adelaide's cake that I made:



It was a delicious vegan chocolate cake with a vegan buttercream frosting. It was a total hit and looked awesome too. I actually left the recipe at a friend's house (I had to go over there Friday after school because my oven is broken. BROKEN!) so I will try to get that and post it soon for those that are interested.



I made a regular circle cake and then used a circle cookie cutter as a guide to cut three small circles (though bigger than the cookie cutter) out of the cake. Those were the three layers of Adelaide's cake. And to stack them together, I just put the icing in a ziploc baggie, snipped the corner, and squeezed just a bit of icing around the edge to make the appearance that there was a ton of icing in between each layer without actually filling it all in. Does that make sense? And then I did completely frost the outside of the cake.





I used a small heart cookie cutter, placed it on top of the cake, and filled it in with green sprinkles. Lifted the cookie cutter, and voila! A perfect green heart. I used a small star cookie cutter to make the kiwi stars.

When everyone started singing Happy Birthday, Adelaide just leaned back in her seat, chilled out, and stared around at everyone. Then we all waited and watched as she dipped finger after finger into the icing and ate so petitely. She kept teasing us and making us think she was going to smash into it and/or pick it up, but she didn't. She did love it, however, and that's what mattered!

A Teeny Tiny Party! A post about the Decorations...

Adelaide had her very 1st birthday party Saturday afternoon. Her birthday was nearly a month ago (December 22nd), but that seemed too close to Christmas to throw a party. Plus, all the weekends leading up to Christmas were full of other babies' birthday parties (babies that attended her's, too!). From our birthing class to families I've met at a local babywearing group, it seems that we know A LOT of babies with mid-December birthdays. So we waited until the middle of January, when the holiday festivities have died down and people were available. And it worked out well, so we'll probably keep this tradition of celebrating with just us on her actual birthday and then throwing a party a month later.

Her theme: A Teeny Tiny Party!

I'd seen this idea around the web and I thought, what better birthday than the 1st to throw a Teeny Tiny Party? I mean, this is the teeniest tiniest she's ever going to be on her birthday (besides her actual birth day, of course)!

So, I made teeny tiny cupcakes, and a teeny tiny cake for her. All vegan, of course, since we're still iffy on dairy and haven't done eggs yet. They were a hit! Even my brother, who can live off of hot dogs and pepperoni pizza loved these dairy, egg, and butter-free goodies. Her cake is 3 tiny layers, chocolate, covered in icing, with a green star and little kiwi stars around it! I was very proud of that cake!



I also made a teeny tiny bunting that said happy birthday that I taped to the mirror in the living room... no picture but on the cake plate then night before.



I made some great green paper mobiles, that were just strips of paper sewn together with a running stitch through the machine. When hung, the separate strips kind of swirl around and it looks so great! It was cheap and easy, and honestly... they look so neat that they'll probably stay hanging up for a while!



I also made a circle bunting from paper to hang on the back of our white kitchen cabinets. It still looked a little plain, so I put three pictures that Adelaide had painted (at 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months) on the cabinets, too.

The table looked so nice! All the cupcakes with their teeny tiny toothpick flags, and all the teeny tiny foods! Mini graham crackers, mini triscuits, baby carrots, tiny tomatoes, baby pickles, mini nutter-butters, small bananas, mini pretzels, etc. Lots of finger foods for the babies, and plenty for the grown-ups!





I got teeny tiny bottles of Sprite and waters, and teeny tiny juice boxes for the kids. The Sharpie marker was for everyone to write their names on the lids, so we wouldn't mix up the bottles and there'd be less waste.



I was a bit nervous about it being crowded... we have a teeny tiny house (less than 1100 sq.ft), and we had 15 adults and 8 kids/babies... but it was great! People spread out in the living room, dining room, and nursery. The big kids (ages 7, 4, and 4) went outside to run around in the front yard some. It didn't feel stuffy at all and everyone seemed to have so much fun! We did clear the rooms as much as we could. Like, we took our big ole t.v. and moved it into our bedroom closet, and moved the coffee table to the side of the room, etc.

Up next post: the guests and the cake smashing!

Adelaide is ONE YEAR OLD!

Dear Adelaide,

Happy birthday! Someone, please pinch me! Has it really been a year already since your sweet face joined our family?!? The saying is true: time flies. Probably because you keep us so busy and sleep-deprived, but still. It has been one amazing year. So full of life and love and adventures and fun discoveries... for you and for us!



One year ago, it was the winter solstice, and you were coming while the moon was orange and the day was short. It was the second day of winter when you arrived, strong lungs screaming and beautiful eyes alert and watching your dad within minutes of your life. Your head full of dark hair which just keeps getting lighter, and your limbs so thin that have filled out considerably (prompting everyone to say "Well, she hasn't missed a meal, has she?!").



While I read the books, and heard veteran moms say how much will change the first year, I never really knew until it happened. You went from being a helpless little ball of person in my arms 24/7 to a strong, independent toddler who wants to do everything herself. You went from drinking only my milk to eating nearly everything put in front of you (though you will still always drink my milk every time it's offered). You have become more confident and determined to explore... as long as you know momma is nearby, you aren't afraid to turn corners and walk down new hallways, roam around dance floors, and take off in the middle of a store.



You have taught your daddy and me patience, deep (DEEP) love, humor, to see the lighter side of things, to let the bad things go more easily. To realize what's really important: family. And that's you, little one. Life is brighter, warmer, more exciting, and faster. We love you so, so, SO SO SO much. Every day brings new adventures. I'm excited to see what will happen in your second year of life. It's all so amazing!



Love, Momma.

P.S. By the way, here's what new this past month! You:

• Can point out your belly button on cue
• Can point out momma's and daddy's noses (but not your own)
• Are infatuated with dogs, exclaiming "DAH" when you see one (picture or real)
• Have no problem lifting your sippy cup to drink
• Raise your arms when we say "All done!"
• Help get yourself undressed by lifting your legs out of pants, and putting your head down to take your shirt off
• Can get off the big bed by yourself by sliding down off the side
• Know what these words mean: Up, ball, dog, cat, cup, milk, hug, kiss, gentle, all done, diaper, brush hair, book, phone, dada, doorbell, hat, and many more!
• Know what a brush is for, and try to use one
• Go from hitting to rubbing and saying "Ooh" when we tell you to be gentle
• Have tried cat food, three times (didn't like it!)
• Love the bath more and more (content with just a cup to play with, too!)
• Can sit in our laps! This makes us so, so happy! Especially when you bring a book to read!