Happy B-day Oakley! (#4)

Where does the time go!  How can my baby be four years old already!  (Birthday - March 6th)  I can't stand it...I want life to slow down a little.  Unfortunately, that won't happen, so we celebrate the passing years anyway.  Oakley's birthday was a lot of fun.  She had been anticipating it for a long, long time, asking everyday (for the last 3 weeks), "When is my birthday gonna' be?  How much longer?"  Then, with about a week to go, she asked, "Mom, why is my birthday taking too long to get here?"  I explained that when we are waiting for something really exciting to happen, it seems to take forever to get here.

Oakley wanted a butterfly cake. This is the year that we just did a family party (no friend b-day parties to plan) for her, but she gets to pick a theme cake. Remember Dakota's Zebra cake? Holly, my sis, had just gifted us a cute cookbook called "Hello, Cupcake!"
 

The ideas are absolutely darling for decorating cupcakes.  It was fun to look through the book for entertainment purposes alone.  We gawked, oohed & aahed over every picture in there.  If you ever get a chance to see it for yourself, take a peek.  It's well worth the browse.  Anyhow, the cookbook includes an idea for butterfly cupcakes...perfect for Oakley's birthday wishes.

My first wings did not turn out so well... (but they still tasted good)  :)

After some practice, they turned out much better.  I had to work really fast, as the chocolate sets so quickly.  I discovered that piping out the wings on the cold granite counter top was not effective.  After I put a plastic cutting board underneath while working on them, they didn't set as fast, so I had a few more seconds to work on them.  Then, I moved them to the metal pan or counter afterward to finish setting.

I made the wings and antennae the day before.  Then next day, I made the cupcakes and assembled the butterfly on top.  They turned out so cute!

They looked like a colony of monarch butterflies landing in the kitchen.

Aunt Holly and Rob, and Aunt Heidi and Steve came over for the celebration.  We ate homemade "Cafe Rio"-ish pulled pork salads for dinner.  Pictures of the "spread" are below.  We know how to eat when we celebrate.  Oakley opened gifts after dinner.  And then we got to enjoy the butterfly cupcakes with a side of ice cream.  Yummers!

Oakley primping before she eats.

Oakley loves to do jigsaw puzzles...and she's good at them!

(Gift from Aunt Heidi)

Aunt Heidi and Steve

 Dakota and Daddy

Gift from Aunt Holly (one of the girls' favorite activity books)

Holly and Rob

Happy Birthday to Oakley!

Make a Wish...

and BLOW!!!

I hope my wish comes true!

We had so many cupcakes left over...we were eating them for days.  Here a couple shots of Oakley enjoying her b-day cupcakes the next day.

 

CHOMP!

DEVOUR!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LITTLE ONE!