Osborn Fiber Studio

Today little N turns two. My sweet, smart, busy girl, who gets another month or so of her mama’s devoted attention before she has to share me with her sister. Her birthday week is off to a rip-roaring start, with a visit from Deedee (my mom) and Baba (my youngest sister) over the last few days, birthday cake, and birthday pancakes at Pamelas. We’ll keep partying all week, I’m sure, Lent or not, since next weekend at least one other grandparent is also coming to visit.

About a week ago I had a conversation with my daughter that went something like this:

Me: OK, Honey. If Mama was to knit you one thing for your birthday, do you want a headband, or a vest?
N: Headband.
Me: What color headband?
N: Yell-yo.
Me: Okay, yellow headband. Would you like flowers on your headband?
N: No… yes.
Me: What color flowers? Blue flowers?
N: No! Um… red flowers! Blue flowers! Green flowers!
Me: Okay, I think that’s enough colors! I can do that.

A few days later, I had this:

And another day later, it was assembled into this:

As ordered. Here’s the pattern. Made with found leftovers – no reason to get too awfully invested in a crafted item, at least when it’s going to someone who can’t seem to remember from day to day whether she likes pancakes.

I was sufficiently gratified that she popped it on immediately upon opening, and left it on for the rest of this first round of presents.

Last night she got a chocolate beet cake – quite literally the first cake I have made in seven years. Just shows you how not-a-baker I am. I kept forgetting that I don’t actually own cake pans, since I long ago let them be claimed as drip-catchers for indoor planters. I had to send daddy out specially.

The cake turned out quite yummy. I’ve been meaning to try this chocolate beet cake forever, long a staple of N’s cousins’ birthdays. It came out rather dense – I’m pretty mainstreamed on the gluten train (more on that another day), but I haven’t actually bought regular AP flour yet – so this is 1/2 whole wheat flour, and 1/2 GF AP flour! Still, so yummy. Hard to go wrong, at least with anything coated with icing that involves half a pound of butter, half a pound of cream cheese, and four cups of powdered sugar.

Happy birthday, little girl. You are so precious and precocious, and growing in delights every day. Your daddy and I enjoy so much the little person you are, and are becoming. We love your prayerful spirit, your quiet joyfulness, and your love of life. And we know you’ll be an amazing big sister.