Pea is out with my mom, GiGi, and her partner Bear for the day. They went to the zoo, then out to lunch and are now back at GiGi & Bear’s hotel swimming. All of this was of course so that they could spend some special time with Pea, but it also afforded me the luxury of cooking and baking in preparation for Pea’s 2nd birthday party celebration tomorrow afternoon. Our theme is an indoor picnic. I’m making:

Pasta, Pesto & Peas
Chinese Chicken Salad
Panzanella

Her birthday cake is a Strawberry Country Cake – Pea is obsessed with strawberries these days.

I found some very cute picnic-theme tableware (think red & white checks) and made a centerpiece using cupcakes, jelly bellies, giant sidewalk chalk and bottles of bubbles. I can’t wait for Pea to see it all. I’m not sure how much she understands about birthdays, but the massive stack of presents should help her figure it all out.

It’s hard for me to come to terms with Pea turning two. It really seems like it was just yesterday that she came home from the hospital, all pink and warm and screaming. I can’t believe how quickly time flies when you are a mother. Sometimes I find myself panicking because I honestly can’t remember what she looked like as a baby. It’s all so fleeting. She was our first, and I constantly found myself looking forward to milestones, rather than just enjoying her right where she was. That’s a mistake I’m trying hard not to repeat with Coco.

Pea, the day she was born, exactly two years ago today.

Pea, two years old today. Where’d my baby go?