Champagne Birthday!

Tabitha had her champagne birthday this year! (of course, as we couldn't celebrate with champagne, due to her age, and my pregnancy, we settled for sparkling apple cider instead!) That's right, on January 4th, my lil girl turned 4! Already! Can you believe it? I can't!! I keep thinking of her as the teeny sweet lil baby girl we brought home from the hospital-where did she go? In her place, I have an absolute lil dynamo! She loves animals of all kinds, especially baby ones, and is always up for helping me to bake. She's also tough minded, stubborn and independant as all get out. And just the prettiest thing you've ever saw! She's Daddy's girl, and not afraid of anything! She's the one going "faster, faster Daddy!" when we're out ski dooing, and it doesn't matter how many times Buddy the mini horse bucks her off, she's back on, showing him who's boss!

She requested pizza and chocolate cake for her birthday this year. I need a LOT of pizza to feed this crew (already!) so I opted for doing a homemade one. Tabitha and Wyatt really enjoyed helping me to top it with mozz cheese, pepperoni, tomato slices, chopped green pepper, and pineapple tidbits.

Then I made my favourite chocolate cake recipe, from one of my all time favourite cookbooks, ever, given to me by Grandma Bailey. It's called "The Best Little Cookbook in the West" by Irene Mclaren, and it truly is! I did a double batch of this cake, baked it in two 9"X13" pans, and did up a custard filling, which I sandwiched between the two layers.

I used the frosting recipe from the same cookbook, but added a little milk to thin the chocolate part.

Everyone agreed it was one of the best cakes I've made! And Tabitha sure enjoyed getting to decorate her own cake!!

Table for three! Enjoying their pizza!