Birthdays, Thai, and Coconut Pie

It was a big birthday weekend! We celebrated Julia's 4th birthday a few days early. Last year, my mom (The Cake Lady, if you don't know) made her a Cinderella cake. That day, she said "When I turn 4, I want a Snow White cake." Julia never, ever forgets.

She said yesterday that when she turns 5, she wants an Ariel cake. We'll see.

Today is my mom's birthday and she came over for dinner from our favorite Thai restaurant. She requested a coconut cream pie (the Cake Lady must get tired of cake), so I thought I'd give it a go with this recipe. When you come across a recipe that starts with "The Best Ever..." it's going to go one of two ways - either it really is the best ever, or it sucks. This pie was really delicious. The grocery store did not have unsweetened flaked coconut, so I went with sweetened and it was absolutely fine. I topped it off with a thick layer of freshly whipped cream and toasted coconut.

After pie, Mom took Julia to her house to spend the night, because Julia is relentless and my mom is a sucker. By sucker, I mean awesome. She is generous to a fault with her time. I totally take advantage of her, and she never makes me feel bad about it. My kids adore her. She is such an integral part of our family that I always assume that she is going to be part of whatever we're doing.

She's impulsive and spontaneous and easily influenced by people who want her to do things like fake sick and go to the mall. These are the qualities I most lack, and most admire in her. She takes chances and reinvents and tries new things and changes her mind. I have a hard time changing my brand of deodorant. She is amazing, she is my mom. I love her.

Happy birthday, Mommy.

And, Henry in a box. Because it's cute.