Saturday, February 6, 2010

Happy Birthday Abigail!

 
Happy 7th Birthday Abigail!

Yesterday was Abigail's 7th birthday.  It was a big day involving sweet treats, gifts, parties and lots of little girls running around our house screaming!

The day started by taking treats to school.  This is always tricky because the sweets have to be store bought.  I've found a grocery store that carries cupcakes from Freed's Bakery which are peanut/tree nut safe.  However, due to a conflict, we had to bring our treat at morning snack.  Abigail wanted doughnuts.  Well, as already posted, neither Krispy Kreme nor Dunkin Doughnuts are safe.  I was stumped at what to bring, but finally remembered the "Sweet 16" powdered doughnuts.

After school, Abigail got her first American Girl Doll.  I'm glad she's not too "old" for dolls yet. We invited 6 of her friends over for a pajama party.  They each came in their PJ's and brought their doll and pillow.  I put down a bunch of quilts and pillows on the floor, made a canopy of streamers, pink, of course, and had hoped that they would hang out, have a fashion show with their dolls, watch a movie, do a craft, eat some pizza and cake, and so forth.  Boy, was I wrong!  Seven girls, aged 6 and 7...whew..they were way too hyped up to "hang out".  It was crazy!  And, quite frankly, I was glad when the party ended, and everyone went home.

As usual, I made her birthday cake, and as usual, didn't finish it until about an hour before the party started.  Having a peanut allergy means that stopping by a local grocery store and purchasing a cake is not an option.  Nor is ordering a cake from most specialty bakeries.  Luckily, my mom used to decorate cakes so I have her expertise and a lot of her old cake supplies at my disposal.  Given the pajama party theme, I made "sleeping bag" cakes for each of the girls and a larger cake for the family.  I couldn't bear to buy a boxed mix after all our new eating changes so I made a scratch chocolate cake using organic ingredients.  It was the first time using the recipe, and it tasted great, but it was a disaster trying to get the cakes out of the pans.  They all stuck, and I had to "glue" them back together with frosting.  Every year as I struggle to make the perfect cake, I think...why?  I don't think that Abigail is old enough to appreciate the work that goes into her cakes.  Every year I'm wishing I could just order a cake and be done with it.  But then I think that even if she wasn't allergic to peanuts, I'd still want to make her cake.  Maybe one day, I'll have the opportunity to make that choice!

So, darling Abigail, Happy Birthday!  I love you!
 
                                       

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! :)

Ginny said...

They look wonderful!!! Can't tell you had to piece them together at all...and you know they didn't know the difference!
Great job Melanie!
....And I could have told you they wouldn't just "hang out"! ;)

Julie Redfern said...

I like to make Birthday cakes instead of buying them too. YOu can't tell that you had to glue them together. It sure looked like Abigail loved it! Happy Birthday Abigail!!

Paul said...

Happy Birthday Abigail. I like the cake and think the doll is great too.

love
U Paul

kelly said...

Abigail is lucky to have you (I never had such lovely birthday cakes in my entire life except once when I just learnt how to walk). Life for my parents were hard.

Is Abigail on pre and probiotic foods? Because I was thinking, that these can help her to "tolerate" peanuts. Foods like peanuts and cashew nuts have lectins and not meant to be eaten often nor eaten in huge amounts. There are organic foods just not meat to be eaten often (peanuts is one of them).

I've been a vegetarian, vegan and now a vegetarian again (no honey, no milk except almond and hemp milk, no meat except for my weekly egg).

Although I do not suffer from Celiac, I try to avoid gluten foods (I have not researched on this but believe many of them are gmo).

Keep up the good work on your blog and God bless!

Mom with a Mission said...

Thanks Kelly.

I do give both my kids probiotics especially starting around this time of year when colds and the flu start getting passed around.

There's been no evidence to date that show probiotics can increase tolerance for those with life threatening food allergies. That study would have to be done under medical supervision. The risk is just too great. I think there's definitely merit adding probiotics to diets where there are food intolerances. I've also read that Omega 3's can help ease food intolerances as well. I give Abigail Omega 3 supplements to help with her stomach issues.

We try to limit our meat intake, but aren't vegetarians. Gluten is hard to avoid, but I don't include a lot of bread with meals. I have plans to do a gluten elimination diet for myself, but haven't gotten up enough nerve. I'm afraid I'll find that I shouldn't eat it anymore! :)

Mom with a Mission said...

Thanks Kelly.

I do give both my kids probiotics especially starting around this time of year when colds and the flu start getting passed around.

There's been no evidence to date that show probiotics can increase tolerance for those with life threatening food allergies. That study would have to be done under medical supervision. The risk is just too great. I think there's definitely merit adding probiotics to diets where there are food intolerances. I've also read that Omega 3's can help ease food intolerances as well. I give Abigail Omega 3 supplements to help with her stomach issues.

We try to limit our meat intake, but aren't vegetarians. Gluten is hard to avoid, but I don't include a lot of bread with meals. I have plans to do a gluten elimination diet for myself, but haven't gotten up enough nerve. I'm afraid I'll find that I shouldn't eat it anymore! :)