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by Alicia Hutchinson

One Year: A Peter Rabbit Party

One thing I love about blogging is sifting back through photos of an event, looking more closely at the tiny moments, deciding what to share and what to keep, replaying the day, seeing little things I didn’t notice when I took the photo.  When I look back through these I see tiny carrots that little hands made, beauty of nothing more than vegetables, and my little bunny proudly wearing her new age of one.
Peter Rabbit party
Every year, every birthday, I make it my personal quest to make my children’s birthdays special.  Vera, born on Earth Day, may have sealed her own fate to having a nature themed birthday party until she’s a teenager.  Peter Rabbit just felt too sweet not do it.  She’s a baby.  She likes vegetables.  Just made sense.
I just sentenced my children to a month of no sugar (so mean, I know), so I wanted to serve a cake that they could actually eat.  I found a really good recipe for carrot cake and carrot cupcakes with no sugar or white flour.  They were both so good and I actually didn’t mind that my baby was smashing cake all over her life, because it was pretty darn good for my little bunny. 
I have been wanting to make something out of almond paste forever (which does have a titch of sugar), so I was so excited to make these little carrots.  So quick and easy.  I definitely see more almond paste projects in my future.

I am in love with the centerpiece I ordered from my new friend, Larry of Flowers by Larry in Hendersonville.  He’s always up for a challenge and he did a great job using carrots just like I asked for.  🙂
Of course the snacks were veggies.  I was amazed at how quickly these were all gone!

Décor was basically all found in the produce aisle at the grocery store.  So simple, but so beautiful.  Some of my favorite things are found in nature and I love using as much from nature as I can at our parties.

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I love the details of party planning.  The little things matter.  The little things are what you remember.  I got these tiny gift tags for Vera at Tiny Prints.  I love the tiny details of the floral and the soft pinks.

I think these years of babies has made me more and more sentimental.  I save more scraps of paper with crayoned stick men and tiny mementos.  By the time Vera graduates high school, she’ll have 15 totes of memorabilia, but better safe than sorry, no?  I folded up Peter Rabbit napkins and ironed her birthday dress today to be tied with ribbon and stowed away in her memory boxes….all her first birthday pieces.

More birthday bits…

Every baby is more than special.  Each baby is meant to be loved, cuddled, rocked.  But there’s something about the last baby that makes you linger just a little longer.  An IG friend shared this quote with me and it fits my Vera so perfectly.

“But the last one: the baby who trails her scent like a flag of surrender through your life when there will be no more coming after – oh, that’s love by a different name. She is the babe you hold in your arms for an hour after she’s gone to sleep. If you put her down in the crib, she might wake up changed and fly away. So instead you rock by the window, drinking the light from her skin, breathing her exhaled dreams. Your heart bays to the double crescent moons of closed lashes on her cheeks. She’s the one you can’t put down.”   -Barbara Kingsolver

So very thankful for this girl.  Thankful that my mama could be here to relive last April with us.  Thankful for this amazing role that I have been given.  Thankful for this girl.

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Comments

  1. begurl says

    Love the party and the cake and the baby gjrl and the cake on the floor and the pic of you and Vera and……well all of it!

  2. Rachel says

    Your parties are pure magic. Gifts your children will treasure forever. I love the colors, the carrots and sweet Vera. I'm so glad she was born. Always meant to be. xoxo

  3. Prince Snow Farm says

    Oh my goodness how absolutely PERFECT!!!!! The flowers, the cake, the banners….all awesome! Like you. One awesome mama. And might I add that Vera is looking more like her big sissie very day! (and I sent you a return message)

  4. Farmgirl Paints says

    The one of her behind the cake ohhhhh. I loved it all. It's your gifting girl. Seriously though you need to share that gift. And I can't believe you made those carrots!!

  9. Jessica H says

    OMG this party is SO enchanting. Seriously. This might be my favorite party you've thrown. They're all SO cute, of course, but this one is just too much cuteness to handle. Maybe it's because Vera is so sweet 🙂 And you rock at taking pictures. Love the crumbs under the high chair. Love it all.

  10. Alison Agnew says

    You are a fun mama and this is an adorable party. What special memories you've made…and that centerpiece! Adore.

    Happy Birthday little one.

    Alison
    Nancherrow

  11. Susan says

    So magical! Every little touch of your earthly bounty was gorgeous– that cake, scrumptious and a sight to behold. What a lovely memory for your little Vera Mae!
    Blessings,
    Susan @SugarBeans.org

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