Our dear niece Isla turned one last week and over the weekend we attended her birthday party on an especially sunny, warm spring day. So beautiful, in fact, that the party was held outside! (Not something to be taken for granted in April in Chicagoland.)

My sister, Lauren, kept the garden/bunny theme simple and subtle. Here are some of the details that made this party casual yet adorable.

The spread was sandwiches, an incredible salad that included figs, avocado and roasted chickpeas, some addictive dips and popcorn.

And bunnies!

Isla’s monthly photos lined the patio door as we swooped inside and outside throughout the afternoon.

Lauren made the cake — strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting. Isla’s smash cake was blueberry (her favorite food) and Corban enjoyed a dirt cup (“gummy worm cake,” as he called it yesterday when he mentioned out of the blue, “I liked Isla’s cake!”). Pictures of those to come in a minute.

There were four little ones in attendance and they each received one of these sweet bunny baskets filled with a little seed planting kit, a chocolate bunny and rabbit ears (where were those when I was making Corban’s Halloween costume?!).

Look at that glorious patio sunshine!

And pink roses…

The kids donned their bunny ears for an Easter egg hunt in the backyard.

Birthday girl and her mama.

Little Peter Rabbit in full force.

Isla’s cousin was not cool with wearing his bunny ears or sitting still for the group photo, but no worries… he successfully photobombed it.

Cake time.

Step one: remove and consume all blueberries.

Why are you trying to shove this other junk in my mouth when I see BLUEBERRIES?

She was not into the cake. Until she was.

And then she was really into it.

Baby’s eye view of the remnants:

Proof that Corban loved his “gummy worm cake.” I don’t blame him; dirt pudding is the best.

Gratuitous Mara photo.

And we’ll end with a look back at one year ago. Crazy how much they’ve all changed!