The Birthday Bean

There's nothing like a one-year-old birthday to make you feel like life is flying by. Even to me, the only person who has seen Cora every single day since the day she was born, she has changed so much in her first year. Her face looks so different than in those first few months, her blue-grey eyes have turned brown, her monk's cap hair has grown in nicely, and her inconsolable crying has turned to sweet and happy. She's even racked up a few nicknames: Bean, Schmooks, CoraBean, CoraBeaner.

Cora has taught me how to slow down and prioritize naps; she's taught Louisa how to share and be gentle; she's taught Ries how to sleep with one eye open and she's taught Nate that one parenting technique does not fit all.

After a fun morning with friends at Deer Hollow Farm today, we came home to prepare for a birthday feast. Just like we did for Lou's first birthday, I had planned to make a French silk pie. As I was looking at recipes online today, I remembered a small glitch during prep two years ago. I think it had something to do with a runny filling. To avoid glitches, I decided to go with a classic Chocolate Pie from the Joy of Cooking. It didn't get a chance to set for 3 hours, so it was a bit runny (go figure!), but it tasted great and Cora seemed to enjoy her first sugar overload. The candle was a bit mysterious and the pie itself something foreign at first, but she quickly warmed up to it, although apparently took it all very seriously: