For the first five years of my children’s lives, I baked all of their birthday cakes. Come to think of it, baked is not an adequate word; I slaved over their birthday cakes. Poured my blood, sweat and tears into cake pans time and time again. I am not a natural baker and the process made me far more miserable than happy, but the hours I spent creating them was a proof positive of my undying love for my kids. Good mothers bake their own cakes, so bake the cakes, I would, dammit.
Last year, Lily had a dual party with a friend (from which I learned that I am way to much of a control freak to ever do that again,) and the friend’s mother was in charge of the cake. Since I got to choose the venue, made the invitations and the goody bags and the thank you notes, it was only fair. The result of this team effort? A store bought ice cream cake simply bearing the words “Happy Birthday” sitting sadly on the table. I hid a scowl thinking that I would gladly have taken on cake duty in exchange for paper goods if I had known that was what she had in mind. Sure, it tasted like a little slice of heaven, but c’mon, where was the creativity? The effort? The love? I would never do such a thing to my own offspring.
Except this year Ben wanted a dinosaur birthday. Specifically, he wanted a big dinosaur cake. I spent days pouring over recipes as the date loomed closer. Everything I liked looked so complicated. Icing tips? Fondant? Oy. I had homework to deal with and boxes to pack and dinners to make. Was this stress worth it? For my four year old?
I was at my local grocery store when I saw it: A perfect dinosaur cake. Perfectly frosted, perfectly decorated and perfectly baked. Perfectly $19.99. And it fit perfectly in my trunk. The vanilla cake with butter-cream frosting was delicious and Ben was thrilled with it. So was I. And if any mother’s judged my lack of cake making, this year I was the wiser one. Not slaving over a cake doesn’t make you a failure. My kids prefer a mom who isn’t a basket case the day of their parties, anyway. And it allows time for other things, like making kick ass thank you notes. Which I will hope to get out one of these days, over a month after the party.
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Thank you for this lovely reminder! I tried to do a fancy cake for my 2 son’s bday’s in December, but ended up at the grocery store. My daughter turns 4 this weekend, and insists on a butterfly cake. I’m going to try once more- but on Friday, so I still have time to go buy one if needed!!
.-= Double Dipped Life´s last blog ..Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers =-.
Sometimes you’ve got to know when to call in back-up & just enjoy the day. No need to be a basket case, instead having a fun day with your kids is more important.
.-= beth aka confusedhomemaker´s last blog ..Don’t Want To Talk About It =-.
I love to bake, and my daughter and I baked up a storm during my 12 weeks of maternity leave. Now, it’s a struggle. For her 1st birthday, I agonized over whether to bake her cake–which I would have dearly loved doing–and ended up ordering cupcakes and such from a local bakery. Seriously? It was the best decision ever. I could concentrate on my daughter and on the family members who came to celebrate with us and there was no cleanup or stress involved.
Hopefully, I’ll get to do more baking with her at some point, but I don’t think I’ll ever feel that same level of guilt in buying cake for a birthday party ever again.
.-= Jessica´s last blog ..Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls — A Review =-.
I think we put too much pressure on ourselves. I like to bake but birthday cakes were just too much.
Let’s just say that my cake baking skills leave something to be desired. So I’ve always ordered my kiddo’s cakes! You put so much work in to the party, and planning, it’s okay to step back and let one things get taken care of on it’s own. :D
.-= brianne´s last blog ..Before & After Blog Hop w/ Pixel Perfect =-.
We try to bake. And I try to enjoy it. But, in all honesty, not so much.
But we do try!
.-= Christie´s last blog ..The ABC of Child Care: I is for Illness =-.
I don’t bake, and only sometimes cook. My kids don’t starve because my parents/inlaws babysit them when I’m at work so they do all the (Greek, healthy!) cooking. Yes, I count my blessings a billion times a day! However, this year, I am startaing to cook more and more, especially on the weekends, and I baked a carrot cake with real icing! And of course, cookies for the holidays. Sugar cookies. That’s it. I suck in the kitchen, my husband has nervous breakdowns when I’m in the kitchen! I have a cake lady who does my children’s birthday cakes… if you lived here, I’d give you her number!
–>I’ve recruited my best friend to make my son’s birthday cakes. She literally spent five hours on the last one and that was with three small children of her own biting at her ankles. I Applaud the efforts!
~deb
.-= WebSavvyMom´s last blog ..Post It Note Tuesday =-.
I baked everything for daughter #1 the first5 years, Daughter #2 just turned 3 and has only had store bought, Daughter #3 turns 1 in August, and I’m anal enough to have all the supplies ready, but I know the store will make a much prettier cake than I could. BUT we’ve decided on non-party years (just family) we will all bake the birthday one’s cake together!
.-= Angie ´s last blog ..Annual Obligatory Rabbit Photo 2010 =-.
I am NOT a baker either but I did pull out all the stops and built / baked a castle birthday cake for Sophia’s 3rd birthday. The cake store wanted a couple hundred dollars! So I made the butter creram icing and the cake and the turrets and I cried when I was doing it and when my first layer looked like shit and then I got it all together and I have never been so proud of anything in my life.
But I will only bake for birthdays. If you have a baby or a school party or any other muffin or cupcake needing event I will be taking my tush to the grocery store – where they actually have a pretty darn good bakery.
Still – my princess cake ROCKED!
And I will use it as a DIY post. Because it took foever and saved me hundreds. Thanks fo the post idea!
.-= Brittany at Mommy Words´s last blog ..WooBee and ‘B’ Blanket for Rain or Shine! {Review and Giveaway} =-.
I love to bake, but I leave that up to the professionals on my son’s birthday. Okay…so grandma works as a cake finisher (decorator) and we’re usually at grandma’s house in Florida around his birthday, so we cheat a little. But when we’re home far away from grandma, I still would rather get the grocery store cake to allow me the time to get everything else ready. Kudos to you for making their cakes the first five years!
.-= Joanne @ Barely Domestic Mama´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – Taking care of baby =-.
Ok, I’m not feeling so guilty now. For my son’s 1st birthday, I had this great idea that I’d bake him a cake (purchased a Wilton monkey shaped pan, got a cake decorating kit, food coloring, etc.). I practiced when I had time in between feedings and taking care of him. I used to help my mom decorate cakes, so it came pretty naturally.
Then, I went on this healthy kick and was like…I cannot make a huge cake for the 3 of us (we didn’t have a party since we do not live close to family). Instead went to Publix and bought cupcakes so then we at least wouldn’t feel so bad about eating just one. They were DELICIOUS. Sad thing is, the cake decorating supplies have been untouched for a year now. His 2nd birthday is next month and I do NOT have the energy nor the desire to bake him a cake. Instead, we’re traveling to visit family and letting THEM plan it all. :)
Guess my Wilton supplies will be posted on eBay soon!
.-= Jessica´s last blog ..How To Establish Feedback on eBay =-.
Of course good mothers bake. Good mothers also pack nutritious hummus and pita for lunch, do homework methodically after school, take the family on educational but fun vacations…
Good mothers also don’t do any of this. Or they do some of it. Good mothers work long hours to pay bills, get take out on the way to karate, skip homework because the sun is shining, it’s their day off, and the park is calling.
The only thing that makes you a good mother is loving your kids. Everything else is just the peripheral choices we make as we do the best we can for our families given our own unique circumstances.
This from a baking, non-hummus packing, mostly homework enforcing, spend our holidays at the cottage being lazy, working mom of 3. Love the post
I’ve made some of their cakes. We had a HUGE party for my first son’s first b-day (also Ben!) so I ordered cakes from a bakery and they were SO cute and SO tasty. He had his own little personal one to dig into! But then I made my 2nd son’s 1st b-day cake – a “giant” cupcake. It was really cool. Anyway, just ordered another one for the almost 6 yr old’s b-day party tomorrow b/c he wanted Transformers and I SO was NOT doing that…
Okay, now that you know our entire birthday cake history… ;-P
.-= Elaine´s last blog ..Cereal Anyone? [me] & goji Giveaway =-.
It’s funny – I never go crazy with the baking; like, I can’t make a princess doll cake or things that have shapes. But I always make a cake from scratch and I make icing from scratch because really, it’s not that much work. But this year, I was like, no! Screw it! I’m buying! And I got store bought cakes, thinking my kids wouldn’t care or would be thrilled that they were more like their friends’ cakes, and all of them were disappointed that they weren’t just lumpy, square homemade cakes with sprinkles on them! Can’t win!!
.-= foxy.kate´s last blog ..20% more love: you can tell by all the exclamation points! =-.
I tried to bake just a simple cake for my oldest son’s 1st birthday and wound up on the floor of the kitchen crying, sure that I had ruined everything. Since then, we always buy a store bought cake. It’s better for everyone that way.
.-= C @ Kid Things´s last blog ..Much Ado About Pudding =-.
next time may i suggest this: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/the-great-cupcake-cake-pan/?pkey=ccake-pans%7Cbkwcakspt
kids love this! and its so easy
.-= dawn´s last blog ..sweet potato quesadillas w/ fig reduction, spicy corn relish and pecans =-.
Agreed. My son’s 4th b-day is on April Fool’s Day – his Pre-School won’t let us bring in cakes or cupcakes for the “class celebration.” I’m good with cut out cookies, but to decorate 15 of them acceptably…?
SO. To the bakery I went, where I ordered those huge Black and White cookies – (which technically are part cake, but they’ll pass the inspection) – except they’re going to cover them in smooth yellow icing and make the classic “Have a Nice Day” happy face on them.
I felt INSTANT relief as soon as I handed her the thirty bucks.
Now, I’ll make him a homemade birthday cake for the family celebration, but that’s no stress. Happy Mama = Happy Birthday!
.-= Ri, The Music Savvy Mom´s last blog ..I know you’re there. =-.
I get it. I work part-time and have 2 babies, one 23 months and one 10 months old. I WEEKLY stay up till 2am to bake homemade banana bread because something about my kids eating bread I baked myself ‘affirms’ that I can act like a full-time mom even if I’m gone 3 days a week. Actually read once that scholars will look back on this generation of women and say, ‘they thought they could have it all – marriage, careers, homes, family. What were they thinking?’
Store bought cakes have come a long way so hey, why not…..
.-= Live.Love.Eat´s last blog ..Sweet & Peppered Crab Legs =-.
Amen! The problem with the store bought cakes in my house is that nobody enjoys eating them. They sure look pretty, though! I just wrote about cakes today, too.
.-= Lolli´s last blog ..Hello, Cupcake! =-.
Cute cake…! And if your son liked it, then it sounds like a winner.
My son is 3-years-old and I have baked cupcakes for his birthdays. Cupcakes are easy – for me. I use the boxed cake mix. I use some betty-crocker icing. And it’s relatively easy. Sure it’s home-made, but it isn’t from scratch.
Hayden likes it and thus far that has worked. If he ever wanted something elaborate, I would definitely have to “outsource.”
So far though, my cupcakes have done the trick.
And I too have to admit to being a “control freak” – it’s in my nature. Which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..sad camera. =-.
My ex-mother in law was on the board of trustees to our local zoo. Each year they would have an auction a few days before my daughters birthday. One of the things being auctioned off would be a carousel – Hand made chocolate, out of this world creative artwork. Not to mention each year this candy carousel got bigger and bigger and more extravagant.
My daughters grandfather bid like a maniac on that one item each and every year. You guessed it, My daughter had a piece of artwork to take to school made out of chocolate. Until the one year the auction fell after her birthday and school was out for the summer. I couldn’t hope to live up to her carousels, but you know she still had a great 7th birthday party riding llama’s.
I think we all go out of our way for our kids. (Hugs)Indigo
.-= Indigo´s last blog ..Rain Dancing =-.
Baby Girl’s fifth birthday was the first time I had made her cake. And I only did it because she asked. It wasn’t as pretty as a professional cake, but it tasted a lot better. I may give it another try. Especially if I win Bertie.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..I guess that means I’m perfect =-.
And now I want cake.
My mother never baked. For my birthday, baked goods were always store bought. One year, she bought store cupcakes to bring to my classroom. I was embarrassed, but so many kids said to me “your mom makes really good cupcakes”. If it tastes good, kids don’t care.
I totally get it. It’s as if our time/energy/hair-pulling is directly proportional to the love we have for our kids. I make cupcakes instead of cakes though. No slicing and mess. Last year I ordered cupcakes and none of the kids liked the icing! So much for “perfection.” I try to be relaxed the day of for their sake, too. Let’s just say I’m getting better at it. ;)
Yea I tried the whole bake a cake thing, lasted two years, then I went to Costco cupcakes…or like u found the dinosaur cake we do those cupcake cakes done by walmart!
Now all is well and I’m not stressed trying to make the coolest birthday cake ever!
This is advice I will definitely have to remember for next year. Thanks for sharing! I enjoy baking — but cake decorating — that’s a whole different ballgame. I just blogged about a practice cake I tried for my daughter’s birthday party this weekend. It’s far from perfect, but I’m learning to appreciate the imperfections. And next year, maybe let the store do the baking. : )
.-= Doing the Mom Thing´s last blog ..A Metaphor for Motherhood =-.
I am HORRIBLE at cakes. And I mean HORRIBLE! The name never fits on it, and it looks like a three year old wrote it. Good for you for realizing that it doesn’t matter as long as you chose it with love!
.-= Frugal Vicki´s last blog ..Compromising without giving it away =-.
Jill, this reads like I could have written word for word, and especially since having three kids. So thanks for writing it, now I have time to plan dinner…or read another blog post…or something….
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..The Mommy Contest =-.
I’m the kinda of mom that is realistic about my capabilities. I don’t bake, cause my kids prefer to have great tasting /looking cakes that don’t embarass them in front of their friends. The sad part is my mom and grandmother both make amazing cakes, even wedding cakes. Me, I got nothing.
Ode to Buying Birthday Cakes. I’m with you on that one. I couldn’t even bake with an easy-bake oven (Experience has told me to avoid recipes with the words “Easy” and “No Fail” in them – it’s just too insulting). I even messed up a pre-cut gingerbread train this winter.
.-= Ironic Mom´s last blog ..To Buy a Pet, or Not To Buy a Pet =-.
That’s how I feel about Halloween costumes!
.-= Mom Taxi Julie´s last blog ..I guess I need to sleep with the coach… =-.
I did the homemade cake thing for two years. And then I was done. Because really, no one cares. Except me. And I needed to get over it.
Yep, did the home baking thing for close to 10 years, but my youngest (she’s 8) has loved each and every store-bought cake I’ve ever…um…bought. All 4 now ask for ice cream cake, so, you know, off to the store…again :)
I am SO not a baker either…or a cook, fo that matter…but I CAN purchase a beautiful cake that my kids love! =)
.-= MandyP´s last blog .."Not Me" Monday! =-.
I did the group birthday party thing this year. . I was all ready to buy the duncan hines mix. . but I was not in charge of cake. One of the moms has a favorite bakery. THE CAKE FOR THE TWO YEAR OLDS COST ALMOST AS MUCH AS MY WEDDING CAKE. I nearly died. I was sure to keep my mouth full of the super delicious and equally expensive cake at all times lest I say something I regret.
x
P
http://www.adhocmom.com
.-= adhocmom´s last blog ..If Only There Was Daycare For Mothers. . . =-.
Here here!
I was just trying to decide whether to make my daughter’s first birthday cake or buy these awesome little cupcake pops on etsy… It is her first birthday so I probably should make it, right? :)
.-= Alecia´s last blog ..Almost Finished Pumping =-.
Awww that cake looks great – and I’m sure you’re right – they would prefer a less stressed mother on party day than a perfectly baked homemade cake! (But I totally would have been scowling in the corner with you at the party last year!) ;-)
I’m pretty ardently against bakery cakes, even the nicest looking ones, because I think they just don’t taste good. Ice cream cakes are a whole ‘nuther story — molto delicioso. But I would much rather have a cheap-ass Betty Crocker mix yellow cake with frosting from a can than the most beautifully decorated bakery cake. (Another exception — carrot cake, which bakeries usually do well)
That said, I can certainly imagine going the bakery route for my children’s cakes, especially if they want special designs. I didn’t wise up to the value of function over form in baked goods until I was six or seven at least.
One ongoing debate I’m having with my wife, despite the fact that our twins’ first birthday is 16 months away, is whether to throw them a birthday party every year, as I had as a kid, or every other year, as my wife had. Of course, I think telling a child you only get a party every other year is Dickensian in its torturousness, but that’s just me. Heck, I figure one of the nice things about having twins is the doubling up on birthdays in the first place. Sigh.
(to be fair, my wife always had family parties as a kid, it was just the ones with friends that were biannual)
.-= Noah´s last blog ..I Am Not Phil =-.
Last year I bought a cake for my sons 1st birthday. This year for his 2nd I made it (well, cake balls anyway). They were so much work, but they turned out great. Not sure if I’ll do it again next year, but I had fun doing it.
.-= Allison´s last blog ..That Guy is… =-.
My mom never baked. She was an excellent cook. We survived with store bought cakes…its all about the memories of that party when we were kids :)
Scary Mommy, you are so right!
I’m not a baker, but I was determined to bake homemade birthday cakes for each of my four children. Then the kids discovered the super cute, themed cakes available at our grocery store bakery. Now my kids don’t want me to bake. They want to go to the store and choose a Scooby Doo or Princess cake out of the book.
.-= Mrs.Mayhem´s last blog ..I Am Tired and I DO Need a Nap =-.
Thanks for relieving me of the pressure! I hear Publix does awesome cakes – that’s where I’ll be headed for my son’s birthday next month!
.-= Jane´s last blog ..Please Give Your Best Answer =-.
Yeah, some time that is the way to go, aw who am I kidding, if it wasn’t for Jeff, I would totally buy all the cakes for the kids.
.-= Jen´s last blog ..No One Asked Me?! =-.
Well, for me to say RAH RAH YIPEE THANK YOU to this post would be self-serving since, nope, never baked a birthday cake, and never will. ;-)
.-= subWOW´s last blog ..WTF Wednesday: Here, have an MRI =-.
I have a sis-in-law who loves to bake. I always pass it off on her, with minimal instructions…simply, “bring it by 2:00.”
.-= jade´s last blog ..Washing the Cat =-.
We did the “joint party thing” too.
I too learned that I am too much of a control freak for that.
Never.Again.
I love baking but for my son’s first birthday I got a late start. Then the cake fell apart in the pan. I ended up running to WalMart, an hour long trip, to buy a cake. My guest had just started to show up when I left. From now on, I’m starting to day before.
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..breakfast =-.
There is just no stress like your child’s birthday stress!!! Not. Any. And the cake, oh boy!
I think every mom has a story about the birthday cake. Yours is priceless.
This good mother has the grocery store bakery number programmed into her cell phone. Bonus? They’re buttercream frosting is soooo much better than mine.
.-= Stacia´s last blog ..Puke Week =-.
I’ve done both, the baking and the buying. Whatever works, I say!
Sometimes you gotta do what is best for you knowing it will make you the best mom for your kids. I have done it all and now I go the simplest route to give them what they want. We no longer do parties but family dinners with the birthday celebrant choosing their favorite food for me to make. Cake is an afterthought to the meal.
.-= Michelle @ Italian Mama Chef´s last blog ..Stuffed shells with sausage and cherry tomatoes =-.
Hi Jill! I think the dinosaur cake is FABULOUS! I gave up baking my kid’s cakes when I realized that my frosting skills were on par with a four-year-old’s. But, I’m lucky cause one of my best friends happens to be a pastry chef and she always volunteers to make cakes for my kid’s… for my son’s first birthday, she made a “Very Hungry Caterpillar” cake that had a fondant caterpillar munching it’s way across the cake, making it’s way through marzipan sausages, fruits and cakes slices towards my son’s perfectly scrawled name. I was so impressed. Love your blog, Jill!
First of all I give you huge kudos for even agreeing to a combined birthday party. I would have lost my mind on every detail because I too can be a control freak…especially with something like that.
And I have never been a baker. I try and have failed miserably many times. Even cupcakes I always screw them up. And the stress with trying to make cupcakes or a cake was too much to think about (who would have thought) so I always buy the cake. And what I have found out is kids love cake no matter whether I have spent many hours on it or just $19.99….and I do to!
.-= This Mama Works It!´s last blog ..The Importance of Building Your Brand and Sticking to It =-.
Kids are no fools, they love the most basic, calorie loaded, plastic toy decorated cake you can find!!
As a Mom of a four year old…I have learned that lesson the hard way.
I am getting married…help my daughter be the perfect flower girl…
http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/40611
My husband bakes and decorates ours! Which is great because I do all the other party work. That heart cake was amazing!
.-= liz´s last blog ..Food Find Friday, Vol. 3 =-.
I slaved over a cake for my mother in law for her birthday — homemade caramel icing! Do you think she thanked me? *B*!!
For my sweet girl, I can hopefully get away with making simple cakes… until she learns how to talk and then it’s all over.
.-= Sara — The Football Wife´s last blog ..More Hidden Inspiration… =-.
Thank goodness kids are easily pleased! they’d rather have our time spend with them then on them.
.-= lori´s last blog ..Tapeworms and Taxes =-.
I think we get too wrapped up in the things we think are important and our kids won’t remember. I guess it is like you said, it’s better to have a calm mommy than a crazy one.
.-= Lanita Moss´s last blog ..The Cock I Got in Jamaica =-.
Couldn’t agree more. I’m the Mom who spends only $40 on 6 articles of clothing at a thrift store, and then spends $30 on an awesome bakery birthday cake.
Go figure.
Off to set up a fan page. I’ll have you know that I am reuniting with facebook after deactivating for a over a year BECAUSE OF YOU ;)
.-= Ann’s Rants´s last blog ..Traveling with Babies in Italy: Grande F*ckaccino =-.
You make me ashamed of my 3 layer rocket cake I made last year for my kid’s 3rd birthday party. The top layer was a round planet earth. There were astronauts, glow in the dark planets and lots of flair stuck in all over. There were charts and graphs for weeks. But my hands are itching to start the planning this year. It’s only 2 months away!
.-= Karen at French Skinny´s last blog ..Day 14 from France: Petits Filous (Little Rascals) =-.
Here I am reading this as I’m waiting for my son’s 2nd Birthday cupcakes to cool before I frost them. While I enjoyed making these, I’m sure over the next few years the store cakes will look more and more appealing. Though I’m lucky to have a mother in law who’s a fantastic baker who I can just complement until she does the cake for me! From a magazine photo of my choosing, no less.
.-= Kathleen´s last blog ..Wordful Wednesday: Party Prep =-.
I do the same thing with birthday invites— I HAVE to design the invites. For EDS’s first two b-days I also slaved away on making cute party favor bags, decorations, etc. I even paid someone to design the cakes to match the invites.
This year, I was 38 weeks pregnant for his birthday party… I decided to have it at a venue (local natural science museum) instead of doing it all myself. I have to say I was relieved to not have to pick up, plan, etc. Blissful!
My kids ended up being born on the SAME FREAKIN DAY! So we’ll see what I end up doing next year. Sharing a b-day is more thing for brothers to fight about I guess!
.-= Melissa (adventuroo)´s last blog ..Elf Hat Giveaway: We Have a Winner! =-.
Well, yeah! it’s not about the cake it’s about the time spent eating it! Great post!
.-= Amethyst Moon´s last blog ..Friday Fragments & Follow: I just wanna be me =-.
My mother Always made our birthday cakes. Even when we begged, begged, begged for an ice cream cake. Nope – we were getting a home-made cake, with ice cream on the side. And they were always gorgeous looking cakes. She even made a barn once. Looking back – she was absolutely a basket case.
Which, of course, only means that I also declared, in the post-partum haze of finally having motrin after 9months of being told to just suck it up, I declared that I – and only I – would always make my son’s birthday cakes.
Its been 3months.
I’m still going to make his cake.
It will be a cupcake.
Just 1.
You’ve got me beat. My daughter just turned two and I’m still working on the thank you notes from her first birthday. Knowing me I’ll still be saying that when she’s ten.
Rebecca
http://dumbmommy.wordpress.com
Latest post: The Chip
.-= Rebecca Honig´s last blog ..The Chip =-.
Ugh. I SLAVED over a Thomas Cake this year.
It was stressful, but seeing his face made it worth it!
But, next year? Publix cake baby.
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Spring Break and a book winner! =-.
Some moms are good at baking cakes, some moms are good at thank you notes and some moms are good at goody bags. We have to do what works for us and where our strengths lay.
That being said, I am so grateful that my sister is good at and loves making cakes. =)
.-= Missy´s last blog ..Friday Feedback =-.
Isn’t it funny? I always make my kids their birthday cakes and I always feel like the biggest loser mom because all the other parties have cakes that are perfect and fluffy and with gobs of icing. Mine are original, that’s for sure. But perfect looking they are not.
Weird when you look at it from a different perspective!
.-= Texan Mama´s last blog ..Will I Die From This? =-.
I’ve spent DAYS doing prep and making flowers and designing my girls’ birthday cakes. It’s A LOT of work and time. I’m glad that I’m able to say that I made their cakes, but it sure would be a lot easier to pick up cupcakes at Sam’s!!
.-= Melanie´s last blog ..Overwhelmed =-.
To all the mothers who feel bad about themselves… – I haven’t baked or even bought a cake for my daughter’s first birthday. Feel better? You are welcome.
.-= mrs.notouching´s last blog ..Idiot’s Guide to Finding Mommy Friends =-.
i don’t bake. not that kind of mom. i hope that does not make me a bad one…
.-= cheri´s last blog ..my chocolate =-.
I love to bake cupcakes but cakes to me are a nightmare! I’ve visisted your site before, I used to be a neighbor of Heather of the E O (before she moved). I saw you mentioned in the New York Times article awhile back.I didn’t really like the article, but that’s still pretty cool :) I just got reviewed at Ask And Ye Shall Recieve….(typical. they are not fond of mommy bloggers) but still glad I submitted :)
I’m one of the non-baking moms, and totally ok with it. In fact, for my daughter’s 3rd birthday we had a cupcake decorating party and I even ordered the cupcakes and frosting! That said, I usually go overboard when it comes to costumes, activities and the general theatrics of it all.
p.s. Your heart cake was amazing.
.-= Liz @ Peace, Love & Guacamole´s last blog ..The Boss =-.
My son wants a dino cake this year also. I have researched and stressed over how to make it. I may go with the grocery store myself. He is turning 4. He want care.
.-= Kisha @Pumpkin Spice Life´s last blog ..Mayhem and Moxie Cupcake Give Away =-.
Oh my God..are you in my head?? Add the guilt of a working mom to the mix and your post is sooo me! Yesterday I had an egg hunt at our house..already a ridiculous notion the week that I worked in 4 different cities in 5 days. What ev- I’m doing it because my inner Martha is there saying you can do it your super woman..any who. I was up to 3 AM rolling, coloring, cutting , shimmering fondant for 35 cupcakes for 35 kids to my party (I mean my 6 YO’s party) only to prove that I am one hell of a good Mom. I’m not sure where “making” Martha Stewart look like child’s play equates to being a good mom, but whatev..I’m sure there’s a medication for me ;)
.-= angryworkingmom´s last blog ..Nothing funny about it! =-.
I’m a big fan of making cupcakes since they’re easy. And I’m addicted to my own homemade buttercream frosting… But that said, the two past birthdays in my family were celebrated with Carvel cakes from Target. Everyone was thrilled and didn’t miss my frosting a bit.
.-= Kate Coveny Hood´s last blog ..Hell JUST Froze Over… =-.
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