The morning:
He woke up a happy one-year-old! Though his birthday hat did not fit.
sweet. little. boy.
The cake:
Like I said, I finally decided to make a cake and stick a toy on it, an airplane to be exact. An airplane that needed a landing strip, some trees around it, and so on. This particular airplane reminded me of the ones that fly over the beach and advertise, so I added a banner too. The girls thought this was so cute.
Let's talk about the cake recipe for a minute. I got it from smittenkitchen.com. (this link is to the actual recipe). Touted as 'the best yellow cake recipe ever', I was excited to give it a try. And I really think it may just be the best. Except mine wasn't. But it wasn't the recipe's fault, I don't think. When I tasted the batter, I called David over to try it and we both licked the bowl clean, it was delicious. Then, when it came out of the oven and cooled a bit, I took it out of the pan and some of the crumbs crumbled away in soft moisty goodness. Then and there I thought: 'this is going to be sooo... good'. And pride cometh before a fall. I wrapped it up and put it in the fridge to frost and decorate the morning of Tobin's birthday. I had it all decorated by 10 a.m. but had no way to seal it, so I just put it in the fridge. Not only would the heat make the frosting melt a bit, but the ants have pretty much set up camp in our kitchen, so even before we went to dinner I could not take it out to thaw a little. I served it up all cold and cute. And quite dry. No more moist goodness. It was good, in an 'all right' sort of way, and everyone seemed to enjoy it, but it was not 'the best'. Not when I served it, and not close to what it tasted like the night before.
But I will try again. The same recipe, and eat it the day of, or invest in a good cake-keeper!
Back to the birthday boy and his big day:
It was dumpling night, and this was Tobin's first time eating it as his full meal. He loved it. He ate almost all of his five.
The party.
Three families came over to celebrate with us, and we had a great time.
Our new helper, whom our children love, including Tobin.
Us with our little man. (It took about 10 pictures to get one where he was looking at the camera and not the cake).
Another big sis for our kids, Phoebe, our friends' helper, they love her as well. She is teaching Tobin how to show that he is now one.
Before tasting the cake Tobin was given a new toy by some friends, he loved it.
Then we gave him his piece.
hmm...what is this?!
Oh you have been holding out on me with this chocolate stuff.
A little drunk on the sugar.
Wide eyed now
stern in his expression as he eats on
And licks the plate clean
And then the gifts. We ordered a little train set from ikea (taobao).
Bella got him a phone (I chose the gifts of course)
And Sophia got him a firetruck with an extending ladder and sirens to boot.
It matched well with the truck that Poppy and CC sent that he loves as well.
We had a wonderful day enjoying our one-year-old.
We are smitten by this boy's charm. We are so thankful to God for the abundance of blessings in Tobin's first year. We can't wait to see him grow into a little boy, though it is going so fast these days!
