Anyway, Theresa loved decorating cakes so much that it became her hobby. She made cakes for many occasions in her teenage years. Everyone knew that she was the one to call if you wanted a great tasting and perfectly decorated cake. A perfectionist she certainly was and is.
Theresa made my wedding cake. Well, actually there were cake_S_. Beautiful and unique.... four cakes, different flavors, each decorated differently in cream colored icing and topped with fresh flower arrangements, on raised pedestals of varied heights. I'll have to upload a picture of my wedding cake to put it on here!
I envy her ability to decorate cakes. For her, it's done with great grace and ease. For me, decorating a cake ends up the monumental task to be dreaded. Hours of labor, powdered sugar everywhere, a thin layer of "crisco" on every dish in the kitchen, and STILL the final product doesn't look anything like the picture I had created in my head. A perfectionist I am.... but my sister actually manages to MAKE the cake perfectly. I can't!
When Alex had his first birthday, I opted to order his cake. It was adorable! It was the perfect little farm scene, with each tiny animal piped in 3-D on the cake, complete with a cookie barn & silo perpendicular to the cake.... a work of art. Didn't taste so hot, though.... I made a note to myself that I would make his second birthday cake - and all the cakes I could make for the birthdays to come.
By the time Alex was two, he had a baby sister. I was determined, though, and my huge Bob the Builder cake turned out really cool - with Bob himself (a figurine likeness) and one of the tractors right there on top.
Theresa helped me with Anna Claire's first birthday cake. It had to be awesome. After all, she was the only little girl I thought I'd ever have.... It looked like a wedding cake of sorts -- stacked tiers with rolled fondant flowers & butterflies.
Alex's third birthday was Lightning McQueen. I used cupcakes to make a racetrack and added the cars to the top. Everyone thought it was so creative, but it was probably the simplest thing to do!
For Anna Claire's second birthday, I decided to take the easy way out.... I went to a specialty shop for an ice cream cake and took the picture of what I wanted and the decorator promised it would look exactly like my request. Of course, what can you say when it's nothing like what you ordered when you're picking up the cake on the way to the party. And it's MUCH smaller than you expected, too. I got out that mental note I'd made to myself about making the birthday cakes and re-read it....
For Alex's fourth birthday, apparently I'd misplaced that note because I got a "store-bought" cake. Of course, apparently the more you pay for a cake, the less likely you are to be pleased with it because I didn't pay much for this cake and it was really good. All those other ones that were high-dollar left a whole lot to be desired. (Addendum to note to self: If you must buy a birthday cake, purchase only cheap birthday cakes at large warehouse chains.)
For Anna Claire's third birthday, well, suffice it to say I was about "this close" to birthing our third child, who was due two weeks after Anna Claire's birthday, so I definitely didn't feel up to standing for hours on my very swollen feet to decorate a cake. Add that to the fact that just a few days before the big party I'd been at the hospital receiving three liters of fluids following a nice little stomach bug which took down the whole family at once, and a Hello Kitty cake from the grocery store fit the bill perfectly. And considering the horrific (first-ever-in-my-life) panic attack I experienced after the hectic day of preparing for the birthday party, carrying out the party, and cleaning up after the party, I'd say that all-in-all, it was a good choice. (And let me add that panic attacks are NOT fun....I was envisioning 911 responders trying to resuscitate a 9-month pregnant lady when I could not take in a breath.)
Alex had another warehouse chain store birthday cake for his fifth birthday, and we all were just fine with that.
And then came Anna Claire's fourth birthday. Anna Claire has always been known as "the Princess" of the family, so I decided to make a castle cake. I bought the Wilton kit containing all the turrets & towers, and set to work making the huge cake. Never in my life have I ever spent so much time on something requiring so much detail! When Alex said he wanted a medival castle cake for his next birthday, I told him, "Good luck with that...." (Thankfully, he didn't say much more about it!)
Alyssa Kate's birthday was a no brainer. The "big top cupcake" pan that has gained so much popularity was PERFECT. We had a big cupcake and lots of little cupcakes. They were adorable, too - almost as adorable as our own little cupcake.
Between Anna Claire's fourth birthday in December (09) and Alyssa Kate's first birthday in January (10), I actually used up a seven pound bag of powdered sugar. Lord have mercy.
Now, the latest in birthday cakes has been completed.... I hear the angels singing the hallelujah chorus in my kitchen right now! Ever since playing the Mario Kart Wii game at his dear friends' house, he has wanted the game. And we purchased it in January, but he doesn't know it! Mario seemed perfect for a theme for his birthday. It is finished - two whole days early! Yay!
The next birthday isn't until December. It probably is a good thing that their birthdays are all within three months of each other. I think I need the next nine months to recover from the marathon of birthday cake baking & decorating and to prepare for the next round!
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