Yesterday we had a very small party to celebrate a very big mile stone.
Lily is 3!
On one hand it feels like she was born yesterday, and on the other I can’t imagine not knowing her… as though she’s been here my entire life.
I remember holding this tiny helpless person and thinking she’d be that way forever, 3 felt like a lifetime away, and yet here we are! Racing along behind a funny, kind, clever little girl who knows her own mind and more about dinosaurs than I ever will.
She requested a rainbow cake and I happily obliged.
I used this rainbow cake recipe again, with the addition of some passionfruit puree and lemon zest in place of the orange and made a passionfruit buttercream to ice it with.
I’ve never made buttercream grass before and stupidly left it to the last minute, but I think the rough-n-ready look adds to the magic!
The local dinosaurs seemed pretty happy with it.
We decorated while Lily napped and I couldn’t wait to get her up for the big reveal!
Her eyes were wide as saucers.
Nothing could tricera-top this moment.
Naturally she had some rearranging to do.
Everything had to be just so.
And before we knew it, her guests were at the door.
After a spot of lizard hunting in the garden…
…it was time for tea.
I served the grown-ups and the kids helped themselves.
The girls who came are all of Lily’s very best friends but usually only hang out one-on-one, it was so wonderful to see them all play together and take such good care of each other.
The very moment a cup ran dry, one of them would leap to refill it and offer a splash of milk.
We sang and blew out candles.
Before tucking into thick slices of passionfruit rainbow hill.
The girls danced their socks off to Baby Shark and Disney ballads.
As the sun set on Lily’s special day.
Things ran on a little longer than I’d anticipated, but Doordash saved the day!
We sat chatting until long after everyone’s bedtimes.
After one more tyranno-chorus of “haaaaapppyyy birthdaaaay tooo yoooouuu” it was time to say goodbye and head to bed.
As I tucked her in, I asked what the best bit was and she said in a whisper “my cake”. My heart grew another size and she was asleep before I even reached the door.
The best Valentine’s gift I could have hoped for.
