When it came to planning her son Henry’s first birthday party, Cinthia Lopez knew the theme had to be Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Since his birth, she’s lovingly nicknamed her second born, “my own little very hungry caterpillar”— when he was born, little Henry weighed in at a bit more than 10 pounds. “At only 1, he’s basically already eaten his way through the book,” laughs Lopez. To celebrate his first year, she knew the whimsical theme would be the perfect tribute.
With that in mind, Lopez and her husband, Trip Hall, consulted caterer Darlene Rosen of Honey Girl Kitchen Catering to take it from there. “I knew what I wanted, but I definitely needed some serious help,” says Lopez. Everything from the invitations to the custom-designed birthday cake and party favors all fell into line for the Carle-inspired soirée.
Kicking off Henry’s first birthday bash, Jill Montgomery of Montgomery Music and Piano came by Lopez and Hall’s University Park home to serenade the 25 or so eager tots and tykes in attendance and put on a mini-musical celebration. All the while, parents and siblings munched their way through the book’s menu with aptly named dishes like Wednesday’s Three Plums and Saturday’s Junk Food—translated into a fruit-filled buffet and chopped beef sliders with kettle chips and chipotle cream dip, respectively.
After singing and snacking, the fiesta made its way outdoors for a fun-filled backyard piñata breaking and more themed treats like the signature caterpillar cupcakes—made with heads of rich red frosting. “I think the parents had just as much, if not more fun, than the kids,” says Lopez when recalling the day’s festivities. Before taking off as new social butterflies, as in the book’s end, each guest was given a party favor including a framed Eric Carle print and Hungry Caterpillar-themed coloring books and pens. It was a day of metamorphosis to say the least!
