Wren's Second Birthday.

 So our little Wren Ramona Zofia turned a whole two years old last month. I really wanted to throw her a party because next year I will have another little girl and am not sure I will be up to it. She has been really into Tinkerbelle and fairies so we vaguely used fairies as a theme. The party favors were wings, crowns and wands. Little kids in fairy wings is basically the cutest thing ever. I wish I could do this for her every birthday haha. It was supposed to rain which threw a wrench in our backyard plans, but my wonderful husband rented this awesome tent. My mom and him spent like three hours setting it up and of course it ended up barely sprinkling and being very hot and SO humid. But the tent was awesome anyway and added some great ambience. Plus I am sure if we had no tent that it would have poured! Wren was really sad when we took the tent down. 

Last year I was a really good mom and made her a special sugarless strawberry shortcake with greek yogurt. She hadn't really had sugar yet so I didn't want her to get sick. But this year the sugar was flowing. I think she ate the buttercream frosting off of at least 3 strawberry cupcakes. I am going to try to do a post of the cupcake recipe because they were insanely delicious. Her birthday was a beautiful afternoon filled with fun, treats and little fairies running around. It was magical just like her. 

I cannot get over the fact that my baby is now such a big girl. Time is so weird. I feel like it is going by at lightning speed but at the same time it feels like I have had her forever. I can't even remember what life was like before her. It's like she has always been here. I know I must say this a lot on here but she is seriously a shining ray of light. This kid has so much personality. She is kind, adventurous, funny and thoughtful. She hugged every friend that came to her party. She said "thank you" to everyone for her gifts. She is so sensitive to others, it makes me so proud. She is a warm, inviting little person that genuinely wants those around her to be happy. What more could I ask for? I know I am totally bragging but I just can't help it. 

She has grown SO MUCH in the last year. I can't help but be a bit nostalgic. I can't even imagine what this next year has in store for her. It will no doubt be wonderful, beautiful and heart wrenching to watch as her Mumma. She is in preschool, getting more independent by the day, she will become a big sister, she started sleeping in a toddler bed(a post on this to come), there is going to be so much growing all around in the months to come... I am grateful to be blessed with her spirit, her face, her voice, her pillowy little hands, her sweet kisses, her head burrowed into me, her laughter and even her cries. Again I know I must say this a lot, but there is truly nothing better than being Wren's Mumma. You other moms out there get it. It is the most fulfilling thing in the universe helping her through the world, teaching her how to navigate and understand the things and people around her. She is so perceptive and mostly aware, except for her habit of running and looking behind her! She loves to be chased. It's one of her favorites along with music, art and animals. She is a natural artist and nurturer. Daniel and I cannot get enough of her. We are both so in love with our sweet girl. 

Happy, Happy Birthday Sweet Wren!!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH WREN!!!!!!

Wren's 1st Birthday.

Our little Wren is one whole year old. We held an afternoon garden soiree in our backyard to celebrate. I planned the whole thing myself but had my parents on hand to help starting two days before. We pulled it off! haha. It was beautiful day celebrating our wonderful little Wren. She brings magic, wonder and love everywhere she goes. 

Follow Wren to the party...

The set up...

Daniel and I built this tent ourselves. Will share the DIY on here soon...

Wren's Strawberry Shortcake. Basically sugarless, great for little ones. 

I will share as many recipes on here as I can find the time to post. 

The food spread. I decided to make everything, except the chicken. A big undertaking. I scheduled my time out well to manage and did prep the day before. I also had my mom and stepmom in the kitchen with me. They did all the plating - and made everything look AMAZING. 

MENU:

Corn Orecchiette, Black Rice Herb Salad, Asparagus Tart, Grape & Tomato Focaccia, Baked Brie, Veggies with Tzatziki, Hummus and Ginger Miso Dips, Olives, Ricotta, Crackers, Kale Caesar Salad, Crostinis, Chicken, Cookies, Vanilla Ice Cream with Plum Thyme Topping and Wren's Strawberry Shortcake. For drinks we served a variety of iced teas and lemonades, water and some beer from our local Sam Adams Brewery. 

Our drink bar. 

I drew portraits of every guest ahead of time for a sweet, personalized party favor. 

They were rolled up and placed in the picnic basket. 

A Chalkboard for Birthday Messages.

Daniel and I stealing kisses from the birthday girl. 

Party Time. 

Singing Happy Birthday to Wren for the first time ever. She's so little it's hard to even see her in the brown chair!!!!!

Nom. Nom. Nom. 

I don't think you realize how fast time whirls by until you become a parent. It's crazy how quick everything goes by in a blur. Our sweet girl was born a year ago and now here she is walking around, trying to run, eating strawberry shortcake. She is truly a magnificent little person. She is so strong, observant, curious, friendly (she waves 'hi' to everyone), lively, loving, gentle and just so smart. She says 'cat'. 'dog' 'duck' 'Mama' 'Dada' 'gentle' 'i love you' 'thank you' 'here you go' 'meow' 'uh oh' 'hi' 'bye bye' 'Margaux(her doll)' 'Jack' 'TT' (our two cats) ' tiger' 'panda' and I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. She loves her books. About a dozen times a day she races toward me with a book, drops it in my lap and waits eagerly for me to read it to her. She always points to different things on the pages and says 'Dat' and looks at me waiting for me to tell her what it is. 

She loves anything with water involved and adores bath time. If she hears the shower turn on she comes into the bathroom and tries to climb in the tub. She enjoys her bath animals and will retrieve them if I ask her for one. "Where's the turtle Wren? Can you find me the turtle?" And she will get you the turtle. We were in the living room talking about octopus once and she went to the bathroom and got her bath time octopus and brought in. She was letting us know that she knew what we were talking about. She knows her shapes, triangles, circles and squares. She loves stuffed animals, dolls, anything musical, sunglasses...she turns anything she can into a bracelet and walks around holding her arm out. haha. She loves pushing her dolls in the stroller around the house and feeding them bottles. She is already very loving and nurturing.

A few days ago I was doing the dishes and she was rummaging through a couple kitchen drawers that are "Wren Safe" or so we thought. She was somehow capable of pulling out a big cutting board and dropping it right on my foot and broke my toe!!!! Caught off guard and in pain I collapsed to the ground and held my foot, shouting things like "OOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!!" She came over and rubbed my back. And then when I stopped yelling came around and with her arms opened as wide as those little arms can stretch gave me a big, deep, firm hug. She was consciously comforting me. It was such a special moment. I would break another toe and do it all over again. 

I love you so immensely Wren Ramona Zofia Zimman. 

You're such an enchanting, thoughtful, lovely little person with so much greatness inside of you.

I am so proud, honored and blessed to be your mother and call you mine. 

AND A BIG THANK YOU TO MY WONDERFUL DAD FOR SNAPPING ALL OF THESE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS!!!!!!
I will post more DIY & Recipes. Leave me a note in the comments if there's one you're dying to try and I will do my best to post it ASAP.