Birthday Cake for Breakfast!

My oldest grandchild and fellow blogger, Emma, turns 13 in a this week. What a remarkable and centered person she is. Her parents have done an incredible job of raising her and I cannot possibly put into words the joy that she has brought into my life. From the moment that she was born and made me a grandmother, we have had a wonderful bond.

We all should have guessed that she would eventually be a tablescaper. In this photo, she has just reached out and grabbed this Waterford “Lismore” goblet. I had returned from a trip to Bermuda and brought the glass to her mother, as a gift. Emma, obviously, appreciated the finer things from a very young age!

We have had some fun times together on Emma’s birthday. Two years ago, she and I spent the night at a fancy hotel in Atlanta and shopped, until we dropped at Lenox Square. Last year, we were in London with her mother and two siblings. She celebrated on her birthday with a party at the London Hard Rock Cafe. This photo was taken the same day, when we were shopping at Harrod’s.

On the eve of many of her birthdays, Emma has chosen to spend the night with me and we have a great tradition of eating birthday cake for breakfast! Once, again, this year we will enjoy a spend-the-night party and enjoy that special treat.

We usually cook breakfast together and Emma wants to eat her first birthday meal of the day on my screened-in porch. She loves to experiment with food coloring and our food always ends up looking very different, than when we start.

In this photo of her 7^th birthday morning breakfast, you might wonder what that dark glob is on our plates – purple colored grits, of course! Immediately, after blowing out the candles, she wanted to head for the porch.

Since, this birthday is such an important one, I decided to make it even more special by dressing up the table with a few elegant touches.

Flintridge “San Marino” china in her favorite color, gray

Pearl napkin rings in honor of her birth stone

I used flatware that was passed down from my grandmother. The birthday girl and I both got the Emma in our names from her. All three of us have June birthdays and Emma and my grandmother share the same birthday.

A dessert fork for the birthday cake, after our meal

The Syracuse “Wayne” coffee cups will be used for coffee and hot chocolate. The hot chocolate, topped with lots of marshmallows (yes, even in the summer!), is an essential part of this annual meal.

After many, many months of being ill, Emma has been pronounce “well”. How wonderful to be feeling so much better in time to experience the beginning of the magical teen-age years!

Happy Birthday, dear girl – I am so blessed to have you in my life.

Love,

Nana

Three generations of tablescapers on Emma’s second birthday.

Diane

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