Our littlest love is three, y’all.
But, to be totally honest, only part of me is feeling nostalgic about this tiny-girl turning one year older.
Because, in lots of ways, she already kinda seems like a grown up.
Mature. Seasoned. Composed.
As much as we’ve wanted to find the perfect nickname lo these last ten months, we don’t call her Maggie or Lollie or Nola because, well.. she’s just Magnolia.
A bit of an old soul, she is. 
So, instead of a smash cake, or a toddler-themed birthday party, we decided to go more Magnolia-style.
The cake color decision was simple: Orange, she said. With a little pink, of course.
But what to put on her cake was a little more difficult. We considered all her current favorites: Sarah and Duck, asking “why”, playing outside, eating noodles, telling people what to do, and walking the dogs.
But none of these things were sounding just right for the top of her cake.
And then we remembered her crazy love for lollipops.
The Pinterest-hunt for a lollipop cake was on.
What to give her wasn’t a simple decision either… this girl is not a typical toy-loving kid. In fact, most of the age-appropriate toys we have in our toy basket stay in the toy basket.
So I asked on Facebook for some birthday ideas and y’all did not disappoint. 
Based on suggestions, we made an Amazon wish list a mile long, and paring it down was no easy feat.
We finally decided on a new set of play food, a Haba Brain Builder Set, a Three Little Piggies game, some watercolors, and a Magic Moves Electronic Wand. 
But the real star of party for our little-big girl was the cake. 
She had been talking about her upcoming birthday for weeks – especially the “happy birthday” part. We even practiced singing it several many times before her big day, just to watch the huge smile spread across her face.
So when her cake actually showed up (and we kept it hidden from her until it was time to sing) she was completely, adorably, excited.
And then she regained her composure.
Just in time to blow out her candles. 
(Which took a few tries.) 
The singing we practiced, but the blowing out of candles, not so much.
Then, candle-blowing complete, the girl was ready to move on to cake-eating.
The cake, by the way, turned out so sweetly. My oldest, Victoria, is the cake-baker around here and we were both pretty smitten with the cuteness of this cake.
The lean? Well, that didn’t happen until after several very large lollipops were on board – something the Pinterest people failed to warn us about. But the homemade meringue kisses and buttercream frosting more than made up for a little lop-sidedness.
I kinda think it suited our girl, just as it was.
Definitely something all those other Pinterest lollipop cakes didn’t have.
Sweet Magnolia, happy first birthday as our beloved, cherished, one-of-a-kind girl. I am so thankful to have this day to celebrate the gift of you and the way God has so perfectly – and exquisitely – fashioned you.
You are so very loved, little one.