first birthday bash

For Niamh's first birthday, we celebrated in the traditional way, uh, sorta. Mommy (me) ran to the grocery store on her lunch break, essentially bought stock in Betty Crocker, rushed home a bit early from work, and made a cake (thanks Betty, I owe you one!). Now I know what you are thinking....that doesn't really count as 'baking' a cake. Well let me tell you something, it does. Don't guilt this working mom with your taunts. I say, if you can't beat em, join em - and I sure don't think my baking prowess beats Betty Crocker just yet...

We sang to Niamh, then helped her blow out the candles. I made a wish for her, since she wouldn't know what that meant. Then she stuck her finger ever so delicately in the chocolate icing. One, two, three times she enjoyed the sweet new flavor. Then...I helped her have a bite of cake (left), and then she realized you could eat the whole thing, so she grabbed a handful of cake. A huge chunk that amazing fit in her little hand. She took bites of the cake until her piece was demolished. But she ate it like such a little lady, minus the fact that she didn't set it down between bites. Needless to say, she liked the cake.

Ayi also enjoyed eating the cake. I explained in Chinese all about how it was a special occasion and for the first birthday Niamh would get to have a bit of birthday cake (quite different from the longevity noodles one would get in China). I explained how its not that healthy, so its not something she can have often, but a birthday is a special occasion. Imagine my surprise when I came in the kitchen the following morning and Ayi was pulling the cake out of the fridge and preparing to put it in a bowl. When I asked what she was doing, she asked if she could just give it to Niamh for breakfast. Sigh... cake for breakfast, that would give her a real nudge in the popularity contest with Niamh!!! Good thing I caught her before that happened, we could have been trying to figure out for weeks why Niamh didn't want her rice cereal anymore...

Birthday festivities continued on Saturday with a party that included Niamh's friends (and ours) - John John with parents Helen and Ray; our friend Mel and her two kids, Grant and Audrey. I (aka Betty Crocker) made vanilla cupcakes which were demolished by kids and adults alike. Needless to say, Niamh enjoyed round two of her cake experience (what would have been round three if mean Mommy hadn't vetoed the cake for breakfast movement).

Niamh squeeled in delight when she caught a glimpse of cupcakes at a friends brunch on Sunday... I think she'll be looking forward to her birthday all year long.

Niamh gets a taste of the sweet life at her first birthday party