It Seems Like Yesterday

He looked at us like we were crazy. Why did his parents put him in the garage to eat again so soon after dinner? It had already been a bizarre afternoon. There had been a party in progress when he woke up from his nap. He was then passed like a hot potato from one person to the next. And everyone kept commenting on his size and continual smile. Why were all of these people staring at him? Oddly, when he was finished with dinner, he was promptly cleaned up and then palanquined to the garage, placed back into his once messy high chair where everyone sang a song, and a white fluffy square with orange sticks was placed on his tray. What could this geometrically shaped object be?

Mr. Smiley gave it one delicate touch...

It was soft....

Time to try again...

It was on his hands now... and hands belong in your mouth... right?

And so began Mr. Smiley's journey into toddler hood. He enjoyed his first piece of cake, which was his first time having freshly ground wheat, smooth cream cheese, rapadura, and honey.

I do believe that my youngest child enjoyed every bite, even the continual coconut flake he processed in his mouth for quite some time. He savored each bite. As he languidly chewed, a flurry of activity was occurring in his honor, as all of the other children demonstrated their ability to digest and process sugar quickly.

It is hard to believe that this particular little boy, will one day be running around, capable of knocking over a little girl, like his oldest brother. It is hard to believe that in the not so distant future, he will be wearing Thomas the Train underwear, like his older brother. It is hard to believe, that he will one day tell me what cake he wants for his birthday. It seems like yesterday that he was born; his birth so vivid and timeless in my mind.

It only seems like yesterday that I was walking around the yard, surveying my garden, pushing the boys on the swing, awaiting my mom's arrival with some powerful herbs that would aide in my labor and delivery of Mr. Smiley. It seems only yesterday that my doula and husband pampered me with a massage. It must have been last week that my midwife came over late in the evening to check on me in my darkened bedroom. Is it possible it was 365 days ago that I bolted out of bed and hopped into that comfortably warm tub and caught my baby? Surely, it was a few days ago that my mom used a tiny pot to remove water from the large birthing tub as Mr. Smiley and I shared our first moments together. Just last night my husband sat shirtless holding his newborn like a kangaroo daddy, right? I think my mother-in-law and new grandfather just brought me bagels and coffee this morning? Have countless meals, both liquid and solid gone by since I first nursed Mr. Smiley and hosted his "Birth Day" party? Impossible.

Oh, Happy Birthday, my precious One Year Old! I love you! I just can't believe how fast you are growing up.

Mr. Smiley's Birthday Carrot Cake

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup creme fraiche

1 cup yogurt

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup Rapadura (cane sugar)

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. sea salt

1 8oz can crushed pineapple, water packed

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 cups cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tbls. vanilla

1/2-3/4 cup honey (raw)

Mix flour with yogurt and creme fraiche. Cover and allow it to sit out overnight (12-24 hours). Yes, it is OK. You won't die and it doesn't spoil. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch cake pan. (I used palm oil and wheat flour.) Cream butter with Rapadura. Beat in eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add fermented flour mixture. Fold in pineapple (with juice), carrots, and coconut. Pour into pan and bake at 300 degrees for approximately 2 hours. Let cool.

To prepare your icing, blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and honey in a mixer of food processor until smooth. Ice your cake and enjoy!