Bunny's 10th Birthday

My eldest daughter turned 10 yesterday. My little baby girl, whom I nicknamed ‘Bunny’ within a week of having her, because she was just so cuddly and warm and had that lovely innocent bunny stare, now has sparkly blue eyes and will be taller than me before too long!

As I mentioned in this post, we had a cinema-themed party. Well, it will be a series of parties this year – instead of one big party with a bunch of girls, we have broken it down to a series of get-togethers with special friends. Last night was the birthday sleepover.

 

Here is the birthday table for the three cool gals, with Hollywood stars and glitter all round. Bunny had requested a giant cookie to serve as her cake this year, but not satisfied with just one big round cookie, I made a cookie cake to top with candles.

A friend kindly lent me a 9-inch silicon cake mould in the shape of a patterned cookie, so I baked two and sandwiched them with buttercream frosting.

The giant chocolate chip cookie recipe came from here and made four of these, so I have more for upcoming birthday playdates! But I had never made the recipe before, and I had never used the mould before, so the first one of course came out like this

Not very well done in the middle, and it stuck to the mould. I popped it back in the oven for a few minutes, then turned it over to be the bottom of the cookie. Sorted!

The next layer turned out much better, you can just see the little floral pattern

 

I sandwiched buttercream frosting in the middle, then sprayed the top with Dr. Oetker’s edible gold Shimmer Spray, which is my new favourite baking bling. Topped with 10 gold and silver candles, it was well appreciated by the party gals!

Continuing the cinema theme, Bunny wanted to watch a movie as part of the sleepover. We made it more special by moving our flat-screen television into her bedroom, and covered the floor with mattresses, bean bags, pillows, blankets, duvets – in short, the entire room was converted into a nest with a big screen!

The red carpet was rolled out to lead the girls to Bunny’s room

And how tickled they were when they opened the door and saw the transformation!

After dinner, cookie cake, crafts and general mayhem, it was time to settle down to a film. I offered to make some popcorn as they nestled in amongst the cushions.

This year’s silly cake surprise took the shape of popcorn. Mini cupcakes topped with frosting and clusters of mini marshmallows! I half-filled the popcorn boxes with tissue, then topped with the cupcakes. The challenge was the buttery popcorn. The inspiration came from the American book Hello Cupcake!, with mini yellow and white marshmallows cut into thirds and put on the cake in a clover shape, with a whole mini marshmallow stuck to the top.

But after I had decided I was going to make the cupcakes, I couldn’t find mini yellow marshmallows here in the UK. So I made my own, with white marshmallows, yellow food colouring gel and a paintbrush.

I know. I know. You don’t even have to say it.

Anyway, in the half-light of the Cinema Nest, I handed out the popcorn boxes. They were all fooled! Fits of giggles ensued, then silence as the gobbling of the cakes commenced.

Around 10.30 we heard whispers and footsteps in the hall as the girls tiptoed downstairs for their Midnight Feast. I had put together a basket of goodies to make it easier for them (and to save me clean-up of the aftermath of cupboard raiding)

 

Sweet dreams, young ladies!

I was asked yesterday how I was coping with Bunny turning 10. Friends were offering words of empathy. I know getting to the double digits is a milestone. I know that she will never be a little girl again.

But do you know what? Yesterday I was so very, very *happy*. I adore my girl, and I feel lucky for all the years she’s had and all that are to come.

I look back on her very young years and I feel such love, such deep love. I don’t feel sad, I don’t wish them back. I am grateful for every minute. We’ve had moments of profound joy, we’ve had moments of incredible madness. I have learned a level of patience I never thought possible in a human. I have learned an appreciation for life that is too often taken for granted.

In short, I have learned what an honour it is to be a mother.    

And yes, I know the dreaded teenage years are just around the corner, but I know we will get through them together, rain or shine. Rain and shine. I am excited to see who she is becoming, and I can’t wait to see who she will be.

Happy Birthday, Bunny!

Chrissie x