Bee is for Brandon: A buzzworthy first birthday party

One of the great things about being a new mother (besides, you know, the unconditional love and stuff) is that you often meet a whole slew of other new parents - some that you're convinced you'd never be friends with if not for the pooping machines you're both holding, and some that are awesome.

Sam falls into the latter group. She's warm, easy to like, and a lot of fun - made clear by this adorable bee-themed first birthday party she threw for her son, Brandon, earlier this month.

Sam did most of the creating herself, including the invitation, the tissue paper pom-poms, and the little jars of honey (she used recycled baby food jars - genius!).

Aren't these bumble bee cake pops just perfect? I know the amount of patience that goes into making something like this, and usually it's not what one has left over after taking care of a toddler all day!

My favorite part of this fete just might be the homemade pineapple "cake."  Brandon was born with a disorder called Prader Willi Syndrome, which has various symptoms, the primary ones being a very slow metabolism and inability for your body to realize that it's full. Sam's little family is committed to living a healthy lifestyle to help keep Brandon well; I think it's a testament to Sam's strength and huge heart that she came up with such a fun, healthy way to celebrate her little boy's first birthday. And doesn't the "cake" look like a beehive? So cute.

Brandon's a lucky guy to have Sam for a mom. This is seriously one of the sweetest parties I've ever seen.

And, as coincidence would have it, May is Prader Willi Syndrome Awareness Month. If you're interested in learning more about the disorder, or would like to get involved in increasing awareness and research, please visit www.fpwr.org.