Journey of an Accidental Hippie: Happy "Hippie" Birthday, Charli!

Charli walking through the tunnel at the park

Charli turned 2!

I can't believe it! It feels really weird partly because it feels like it's been more like three years but then it seems like she was just born. For her first birthday I had put together a collage of pictures of her. I was looking back at this collage and I teared up. I was overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. It has been a very tough two years, not just for me but for my sweet little girl. She endured a lot her first two years of life. It's been two years of doctor appointments, blood draws, procedures, hospital visits, discomfort, pain, crying, stress, anxiety, frustration. Yes there were times of joy and happiness but they seemed outweighed by all the challenges. But finally we are reaching a good place.

She really is doing great. Yes, we still have a lot ahead of us but I know we are on the right path. The morning of her birthday I said to Hippie Husband, "She's officially two," as she she finished throwing a tantrum. It wasn't a fit like we were used to; it was an actual tantrum. Like a two year old is expected to act. I'm sure eventually I will join other parents in their disdain for tantrums. But for now, I smile at them with joy as it is a sign of PROGRESS. But enough of my emotional reaction to her turning two; now for the fun stuff!!

Of course we had a party for her 2nd birthday! I tried to keep it simple, only having family and a couple of close friends. It was at a local park that's all wooded and feels like your in the middle of nowhere but you're not. My mother-in-law generously offered to do decorations (otherwise I was going to skip it). The one thing I was insistent upon was that the food ALL be GAPS legal. Charli has progressed to full GAPS (excluding a couple of foods she's not quite ready for (or I'm not ready for, ha!). I wanted a GAPS menu for a couple of reasons. One, Charli would be able to eat ANYTHING there. No need to worry about a kid (or adult) slipping her something she isn't supposed to have. Second, I wanted to set the tone for later birthdays that she can have wonderful party and "fit in" even with dietary restrictions. Yes, she is a bit young now to even notice, but I feel like it starts the trend or tradition for later parties. And finally, I wanted to show everyone that GAPS food is very "NORMAL" and can TASTE GOOD. I sensed the skepticism when I said it was time to eat, but in the end I think everyone was pretty happy. I failed to take pictures of the food, but here's what I did:

I had Hippie Grandma cut up fruit for a fruit tray. Nothing special there. She also made deviled eggs using homemade mayonnaise based on the recipe in the GAPS book:

Mayonnaise:
Ingredients:
1 Whole egg (Farm fresh if possible)
1 Tbs Vinegar for fresh lemon juice
1 Cup Oil (Extra virgin olive oil is usually recommended but the flavor is very strong. I'm still trying to find a balance using a combination with avocado oil for a more mild flavor)
Salt, pepper, mustard powder, & honey to taste

Place all ingredients except for the oil in a food processor or blender of sorts and blend enough to combine. Then add the oil in a slow steady stream. You'll watch it transform before your eyes into a beautiful, thick, mayonnaise - like magic!

I had my mother-in-law roast veggies in the oven (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this basic version of veggies):

Roasted Veggies:
Ingredients:

Assorted veggies (I got zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, red onions, & mushrooms)
Melted fat of choice (I did butter and coconut oil as they are heat stable fats, but use whatever you like. You need just enough to coat the veggies.)
Garlic (minced)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Chop veggies into bite sizes and coat with fat (I usually use a plastic bag for convenience sake). Place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt & pepper. Bake at 400 for about 45-60 minutes.

I made the rest. This included infused water, jello, PB&J sandwiches, kahluah pig, vanilla cupcakes, and chocolate cake. Sounds like a lot, but it was actually really easy, just takes a little planning. I break everything down by step and then do a little each day leading up to the party. Here are the recipes:

Infused Water inspired by Home Food Heals (I did lemon, cucumber, mint and lime, raspberry, mint)

Jello:
Ingredients:

4 Tbs Gelatin
2 cups juice, fresh pressed (I did apple)
2 cups water
1/2 cup berries (I used frozen raspberries and sliced strawberries)
Honey to taste

Look! I did get a picture of the cake and
you can also see the PB&J sandwiches!

Bring water to a boil and add berries. Turn burner to low and cook for about 20 minutes stirring often. Add gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Stir in honey and juice and pour into a dish of choice (I used a Pyrex dish). Cover and place in fridge until completely cooled. Slice and serve.

PB&J Sandwiches (Again, I took this from the wonderful Dawn at Home Food Heals. These were absolutely amazing. WAY better than the standard if you ask me)

Kalua Pig (By far the easiest main dish I've ever made so I make it fairly often. It was a HUGE hit with several people requesting the recipe)

Vanilla Cupcakes (I didn't end up serving these because they didn't turn out very pretty. They didn't rise and were very dense. I ate them later and they were delicious - tasted exactly like boxed cupcakes.)

Chocolate Cake (This was A-MAZ-ING. I made it exactly as is minus the orange zest. I layered the ganache between the two cakes along with a little left over jelly from the PB&J's. I then cover the top with ganache and then frosted the whole thing with butter cream frosting from the above cupcake recipe. I didn't shoot for pretty and didn't even bother decorating it.)

That's it! And it only took me a month and half to post about it! Life's been hectic but it's easing up now, so more to come soon (if all goes according to plan)!

Here are a few pictures from the party. I really need to get better about taking pictures!