A First Birthday...+ the incredible meal which was had!

Guess what? We got more SNOW again today!! Not enough for the kid's school to be cancelled this morning... However, it was enough for the class I had to teach over at the college to be cancelled {gifting me some much wished for time to type this post!}

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Last weekend was a very special little man's first birthday! After the Monks' birthday bash in November, then all of the holidays...well, I thought it might be easier {scoff!} to just have seperate "little" get togethers with family + friends rather that put together a big party...?

In the end, not having a big party was probably the best plan, since for the little Liam-b's first birthday, the universe decided to let him begin cutting his very first tooth...+ gave him a cold to boot! My poor little man has been drooling, gooping + dripping like it is his job. He has been such a champ about it though, still the sweetest, happiest, most loving little babe there ever was! So while I will spare you my own blubbering about how unbelievably much I love this sweetest pea of mine + how I just cannot believe that it has already been a year since the most wonderful day when he was born, I will say that 3+ weeks sprinkled with several birthday meals, cakes, gifts + singing {rather than just one} seems only fitting for my little miracle baby boy.

With all the napping that was taking place due to teething + running noses, my Mister + I were afforded the time to try out an amazing new recipe to serve at one {of 4} of the "family" birthday get togethers we've had planned. A Vegan Eggplant- Potato Moussaka with Pine Nut Cream complete with homemade bread, a simple Eddie's Scetties + a Tomato Cucumber salad with a Mediterranean Olive Oil + Lemon Vinaigrette...

Birthdays always seem to be a wake up call for me; of how fast time flies by! They make me appreciate life in a different way. Instead of cursing the snow, I'll think about how beautiful it is; how in a month or so it will be gone until next winter. Instead of thinking about how the kids will be bonkers when they get home from school this afternoon, I'll embrace it, have a playdate + spend time with good friends. Instead of feeling helpless while my little birthday boy is teething, I'll soak up those moments where even though there is nothing I can REALLY do to take his pain away, all he REALLY wants is for me to hold + snuggle him...that is enough. For all that I have to be so grateful for as I celebrate the first birthday of my smallest guy, I am most grateful for the fresh perspective his birthday brought me...and {hopefully} the ability to live in this carpe diem kind of mentality...making the most of each day, doing the things I enjoy + being with the ones I love most.

xo.