Party Time

Initially when we thought about the Monkey's first birthday party, the HTC and I thought we would stick to something small. Little did we know just how hard that would be! By the time we invited immediate family (having to forget other family due to size) and close friends and parties the Monkey had been to, we were looking at 35 people!

So we had a BBQ up at my parent's house in case the weather was shocking - which of course it was. And although i spent the whole time running around like mad, it was a really nice time and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. And considering how overtired she was, the Monkey was an angel!

The shoes which took me forever to find due to her tiny foot and stayed on her for a total of 3.5 seconds

Sharing a book with her friend.

Birthday Girl with the HTC

The cake. I hate to think how long I spent trialing and perfecting this but at least it was worth it in the end! It was a butter cake with choc ganache filling and buttercream icing.



The cupcakes almost took as long but I was happy with them.


Mmm cake!

The Monkey's First Birthday

Our zoo trip was foiled due to the most shocking weather which was sad, but I had been stalking the weather forecasts for days before so it wasn't a huge disappointment. We decided to go to the 'Wacky Warehouse' instead on the recommendation of a friend. We weren't sure if she would be too young for it but they have a special under 3's area and she loved it!

Standing on the rocking hippo.

Playing blocks with the HTCShe thought the ballpit was awesome!

Afterwards we went home so she could have a much needed nap and then our immediate family and best friends came over for cupcakes. I used the Vanilla Cupcake recipe from The Cranberry Bakery Cookbook which I have used before and they have such a great flavour! I did a simple buttercream icing for them and the fairies were edible ones from Coles.

Fairy cakes

She wasn't so sure about the singing bit!
The cakes, however she was more sure about!
She was so tired out by the end of it poor thing but had a great time. But we still had the party to come!

Next Week = Blog Week

It's quite frustrating at the moment, so many good and exciting things are happening but they are taking up so much time that I don't have time to blog about them! Damned life getting in the way of my blog! ;)

But in short:

*My baby girl is one awwwww. She had a lovely day on Tuesday and party all planned for tomorrow which has been taking up 99% of my time, as well as visiting relatives who are over for said party!

*My front yard is clean and tidy and livable - so very exciting! And all in a day would you believe, can't wait to share pics!

But right now I still have a million and one things to do, including decorating this ladybug cake which has been driving me nuts for over a week now, but hopefully I have worked it out.

So I promise, dear blog, that after work Monday and Tuesday, from next Wednesday will be blog week to catch up on all the stuff that has been happening.

Busy Busy Busy

Everything is so flat out at the moment leading up to the Monkey's birthday, I am really starting to wonder when I will get it all done! I guess waking up to her movement monitor at 4:30 this morning (One of the occupational hazards of having a small child who sleeps curled up like a wombat in the very corner of her cot!) and not being able to get back to sleep has given me a few extra hours, but not the type I would like.

I am starting to panic a bit too because the HTC is off to Sydney with a friend tomorrow and won't be back till Monday, so it's not like I will be able to do heaps of the shopping and preparation this weekend. Argh.

But in using my usual method for dealing with this sort of thing, I am off to make my 297th list of things to do before her birthday on Tuesday *sniff* and her party on Saturday.

Can't believe she is almost one. Have I mentioned that yet?

Small Pleasures for August

Well I can tell you right now, my SP for this month are going to have a big birthday focus as my one and only little girl turns one at the end of the month. It feels weird to even type it, let alone believe it! I have mixed emotions about the whole thing really, but the brilliant thing is we have a lovely party planned and therefore lots of SP to do with baking and other fun stuff this month!

So here are my SP for August...although a week is nearly gone already. Nothing like a late start!

(1) Go to the Zoo for Monkey's birthday
(2) Bake birthday cupcakes for the day and baby group
(3) Bake trial ladybug cake with my gorgeous best friend
(4) Bake ladybug cake for party
(5) Complete photocollage for party
(6) Complete Monkey's baby book
(7) Read a book
(8) Complete two scrap pages
(9) Buy proper update for PhotoShop Shiny
(10) Buy external harddrive to store digiscrap files

So this is 32

I reached this grand old age today. I used to be a huge birthday person and loved every minute of it, but I must admit having Monkey's birthday so close to mine has made me barely think of mine this year - too caught up with all her excitement and party planning!

But even so I have had a lovely day and been made to feel very special. The HTC organised a flex day so we could spend it together as a family, and we went for a lovely drive in the hills to Hahndorf and then to the chocolate factory - yum!


The weather was pretty drizzly but we managed and the Monkey was a complete angel which was lovely - I adore that gorgeous little girl more than anything.

I also was given some lovely presents, the HTC knows me so well! A bead for my bracelet from the Monkey, a gorgeous cookie recipe book (this is slightly less selfless than it seems, guess which his favourite baked good are??) and a beautiful big mixing bowl which I love.


I haven't caught up with anyone else yet, but we are having family and my best friend over for morning tea on Sunday (Yay, more baking, can't wait to try out my new stuff!) and then have afternoon tea with the work girls next week.


But in the meantime, here is a few pics from today.


In front of the yummy cheese shop.


Smiley Monkey!

Me and the girl.

Nothing cuter than a man pushing a pram!

Main Road, Hahndorf

All tuckered out

Cookies book - yum!

Gorgeous bowl, can't wait to try it.


Angel charm from the Monkey.

My Pandora up till now.

All Emotional

I am suddenly really emotional today. I dropped the Monkey off at childcare, determined to go and find a few bits and pieces for her birthday party. I has a look around and couldn't find much for the ladybug theme unfortunately, but I have seen a lot online so I think I will just order it from there. I am reminded once again why I love internet shopping!

But I digress. I did order some balloons and picked up a couple of little things while I was there, and on the way home it suddenly hit me - my gorgeous little Monkey is almost one. Where have the last elevenish months gone? I am excited about her birthday but all emotional about it at once, my little girl is growing up right before my very eyes, and I am not sure I am quite ready to face it yet!

Ah, the memories

Well it has taken me the best part of two days but I have managed to organise and upload at least a gazillion photos of the Monkey. I guess coming up to her first birthday, I am keen to get it all in order, considering we have so many photos and we have hardly printed off any or done anything with them at all. I have just uploaded a heap of albums to Snapfish and I am hoping for a discount sale on prints soon. Awaiting a bargain deal on reprints are albums for:

*Her birthday invites
*Her birthday photo collage
*Finishing her baby record book
*Giving out to friends/family considering they have all started complaing they don't have any updated photos!

So I am checking my inbox for deals often, but I am glad this is one huge job that is almost done. But it has really been nice going back and looking at how the Monkey has changed over the last 10 or so months. Here are a few of my my more recent favourites that I am sending off.

My gorgeously sweet girl!-

*sigh* Absolute cuteness

The HTC and I have been looking for a dress for the Monkey's birthday, considering most shops have suddenly decided it's time to start stocking summer gear - unbelievable!

Her birthday is the end of August and we were worried there wouldn't be anything left that would be warm enough for then so we have been on the hunt.

The HTC found the most gorgeous coat, we loved the fabric immediately but it was way to pricey consdering how quickly she would grow out of it. But today I found the same material in a dress, and at less than half the price, and I am totally in love so I grabbed it. Now I just have to find a nice little shirt and tights to go under it.

Okay, denial over!

Yes, here is me still sitting here thinking there is at least a week of June left, even after my post about June going so quick. I just did the calculations and yes, it's more like 4 days hehe.

So the chances of me finishing my SP list for June are somewhere between buckleys and none ;) But in hindsight, I do have a couple of small reasons why:

1) My miscalculations meant I had figured on having two Monkey-free days to get scrapping done, but of course I now know that isn't until next week - ie July!!

2)In my normal fashion I bit of way more than I could chew.

But you know what? I don't mind. As the HTC reminded me the other day, this is about having fun, and having a bit of time to spend on myself and the things that make me happy, not about being stressed about my leisure time!

On a positive note though, I have spent some time on the Monkey's invites, so that one should be nearly finished. And I am planning on making toad in the hole for dinner tomorrow night which should tick off another one. And I have started a banner for this place.

So anyway I will see how I go, and what I don't finish can easily go onto July's list. And no matter what, I am having fun with all this and I am happy - and isn't that the point really!

Birthday invites

I am on the hunt for the perfect digikit to make the Monkey's birthday invites, considering she is ten months old today! We are doing a ladybug theme, I have the perfect ladybug cake recipe that looks gorgeous, but first thing is first - invite time! I have a kit I downloaded ages ago with this in mind so might give it a go with that first and see how it turns out.