In case you slept through today, the Smithsonian National Zoo right here in Washington, DC has a brand new addition - their first giant panda cub in 7 years! The cub dominated the news cycle, despite only fleeting glimpses of it on the zoo's PandaCam. Even the most cynical, power-suited politicos in the Beltway had to crack a smile!
Mama bear Mei Xiang had been given a less than 10% chance of pregnancy by scientists which means the pitter-patter of tiny panda paws is that much more exciting. According to the keepers at the National Zoo, the first few weeks will be critical in determining the cub's odds of survival. But come day 100, the cub will be officially given a name per Chinese tradition and ceremony.
Mama and baby will be sequestered in the Giant Panda House and we won't likely be able to see the cub in person until 2013. In the meantime, we'll be keeping our eyes glued to the PandaCam and celebrating the little bundle of joy!
The announcement was a little last minute to whip up any celebratory cupcakes, but luckily there was a special young lady's first birthday party that perfectly fits today's news!
Read more about the goings on at the National Zoo here or from our friends at the Washington Post here.
Mama bear Mei Xiang had been given a less than 10% chance of pregnancy by scientists which means the pitter-patter of tiny panda paws is that much more exciting. According to the keepers at the National Zoo, the first few weeks will be critical in determining the cub's odds of survival. But come day 100, the cub will be officially given a name per Chinese tradition and ceremony.
Mama and baby will be sequestered in the Giant Panda House and we won't likely be able to see the cub in person until 2013. In the meantime, we'll be keeping our eyes glued to the PandaCam and celebrating the little bundle of joy!
The announcement was a little last minute to whip up any celebratory cupcakes, but luckily there was a special young lady's first birthday party that perfectly fits today's news!
Baby Nyah turned 1 last month in Harlem, NYC and the theme for the day was the zoo. Her party was filled with chocolate cupcake lions, giraffes, elephants, and of course pandas.
The zoo itself was a yummy chocolate chip cake with peanut butter frosting and chocolate-filled wafer cookies for a gate.
The cupcakes also had peanut butter frosting (except for the birthday girl's, she's not allowed to have nuts yet!) and the animals were fashioned out of fondant.
Birthday girl blows out her first candle with a little help.
And promptly grabs for her panda cupcake - which is only slightly smaller than the panda cub at the National Zoo!
First taste of sugar and chocolate...it's all downhill from here!
With Washington on an all points #CubWatch, I'm sure I'll be cooking up many more panda themed treats to share. And to really drive home the panda/one year old cuteness level here...
Nothing better for a girl than her grandpa and a panda!
Read more about the goings on at the National Zoo here or from our friends at the Washington Post here.
