The Party

Incident #1--Last night, Bardo suggested that we get started making the "happy birthday cakes" for Pippi's party. He was really helpful, wanting to do everything from cracking eggs to placing cupcake wrappers in the tin. When moment of cupcake doneness arrived Bardo was right there, rushing to my aid so I wouldn't have to remove them from the oven alone.

I pulled them out and gently laid a kitchen towel over them so they could cool. Then, I left to go do...something. Anyway, when I returned, I found coconut cupcakes with oregano sprinkles (mountains, actually) on top. Who would have thought oregano and coconut could go together?

Incident #2--This afternoon, a couple of hours before the party, Pippi and I purchased a birthday cake. We had the bakery lady write "Happy Birthday Pippi" on the cake. We placed our beautiful cake into the cart. It got home in perfect condition. Then, when Bardo was eating dinner, he thought the cake would make a perfect little seat atop the counter. Fortunately the lid was on, so he didn't get his pants dirty. The cake wasn't completely crushed, but it did read something more like, "Happy Bir19432 Rebecca" and have a little dent in the frosting that we had to try to conceal. Pippi was a really good sport about it, not at all upset that her beautiful cake was imperfect. Then, when I was doing some last minute vaccuuming Pippi decided to even out the frosting a little with her finger. I didn't take a picture of the cake this year. Sorry.

Incident #3--An hour before the party, Pippi comes to me in severe distress. "Mom, I think someone stole my Belle costume. It is missing. I remember you hanging it up. And now it's gone." We searched for the costume for 30 minutes, to no avail. And then it dawned on me, "Pippi, did you put your Belle costume in a suitcase? Go and get it." Whew. Crisis averted. 30 minutes preparations wasted. Oh well.

Incident #4--The camera was missing. I found it after the party hidden behind my glucometer. I guess Pippi's not the only one who puts things in silly places.

But you know, once the party began, it was SO much fun. Nothing was "perfect," but it didn't matter. Pippi has such great friends with such great personalities, and they all meshed very well. I asked Pippi what her favorite part of the party was and she said, "When we were chasing each other around with the little plastic bugs." That wasn't one of my planned party games, but I'm so glad that she had a good time.