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Dean waited all day, til after dinner for his birthday cake, so naturally only 2 spoons would do !

This is what a newly turned 3 year old looks like, who has forgone every meal that day waiting for birthday cake.

While Rick took Liam for a 5 hour return trip to the airport to collect his parents, Dean and I baked a cake for his and his grandfather's birthday.  They share their birthday, separated by 75 odd years, but otherwise twins no?

In fact, when I announced that my baby was due in January 2010, my father-in-law immediately piped up and said "hold on til 13th".  I said alright, pretty much knowing it was a done deal as the same thing happened when Liam was due.  Dad said "hold on til 2 August" and I said "alright", and so it was (this date is my parents-in-law wedding anniversary and their twin daughters' birthday).  I'm a good obedient daughter-in-law I've decided.

The cake is Nigella Lawson's victoria sponge as seen on this blog before.  I iced it in a cream cheese frosting.  The colours of the layers were chosen by Dean himself and inspiration for the cake top was Pinterest (of course!!).  It not quite the creation Rick made the year before, but I am still pleased with it.

And so it is with birthdays and gatherings, I was hot and sweaty and running here there and everywhere.  Thankfully, my gorgeous friend Shelley was on board and grabbed my camera and snapped this pics.

The birthday boys and us.  I wasn't going to include this pic here as the state of my kitchen was woeful and I was just a tad sweaty and frazzled.  But I included it because this is my family and I love them so crazily.

Out!

clockwise from top: Liam sporting his smart shower cap for surgery; my hospital essentials; me looking tres tired and just as spiffy in the shower cap; Liam eating his umpteenth icecream before breakfast; Liam quite happy to have eaten so much icecream; Liam's hospital essentials.

Tonsils are out!

Adenoids are out!

Middle-ear gunk is oooozing out!

I have a bright, brave and now hearing little boy.  He was so remarkable at the hospital.  I did expect the worst, and was pleasantly surprised by how well it all went.

Thank you for all the well-wishes and prayers.

Rick wanted to bake a cake but I had a hankering to bake a Victoria Sponge with Raspberry jam, so I did.

And for those who were not following along on Instagram, it was my birthday the same day.  So the day before was cake and family time.  Then on the day, I totally forgot it was my birthday . . . even my hubby and kids needed reminding . . . but the song was sung the day before!

I feel so excited for Liam.  There's a whole world out there for him to experience more fully.  He can hear his ABC Reading Eggs, he is snoring less and hopefully his sleep apnoea is gone.

But what I am praying for most is for Liam to get well enough to go off his seizure medication. I guess all will be revealed in the days and weeks ahead.

xxx

Celebration in Rocket Style

Thanks Han for snapping this cutie-pie pic!

As you know, my big boy turned 4 last week.

I've gone through the classic "oh my, how quick has he grown!" response to it all.

He was the first little one to be pulled from my body and placed into my eager arms. I cradled his warm tiny form against my chest and he and I just stared at each other with the same amount of shock and "how do you do?"

Liam Raul, my first born.  The little one that made me a Mumma and turned my life on its axis.

In the four years following, we have watched him become a little boy of wonder.  While our family has been through many challenges, Liam has kept his happy-cheer, his love of people and fun times.  And we have also welcomed his little brother into the fold.  Our family is complete despite my ever longing for more children (in my moments of complete abandon of reality!!)

Liam has never asked me what the mark is on his face.

Liam has never complained about trips to the hospital.

Liam has only once spat out his medicine (was at his little brother!)

All Liam wanted for his birthday was friends and cake.  I thought I could get away this year without having a bona fide party, that perhaps he wouldn't miss what he has never had.  I just didn't realise that 4 year olds are aware of parties.  I really thought that it wouldn't be until school!

Even though he missed out on a party with his little friends, we continued our tradition of 'family parties'.  My three beautiful step-kids came with their partners/spouse and their kids/step-kids.  Rick bought a BBQ (his first ever- this man is 48 and never has owned a BBQ!), which was fired up and well used.

And the cake.  What looked like was going to be a challenge of mega sorts, turned out wonderfully.

I used my basic cup cake mix and made 3 batches, baked in a 24cm square cake tin for 20 mins each.

Rick used a round cutter and layered cake with cream cheese frosting (uncoloured) and Wagon Wheels!  The top is a waffle cone dipped in chocolate and the fins are cake covered in chocolate.  Toss in m&ms and you have a rocket cake!  I'm really chuffed.  Rick said after icing and assembling Dean's Lego cake that he wanted to make Liam a rocket cake.  And he did.  I love that about Rick.

Liam is not a good candle-blower-outerer, so he had a separate cake to catch the spray.

Liam loves his big siblings!  It was a really lovely day and has me wishing they would all visit more often.  Life is busy but at least the birthdays are well spaced so we get a good smattering of visits through the year.  It is hard when they live 1.5 hrs away and work weekends.  But we love going up there too.

Who makes the birthday cakes in your house?  If you have a blog link, I'd love to see it!

xx

Lego Birthday Cake

When you have boys especially, you need to love Lego.  I have Lego everywhere in this house it seems and my eldest is only 3.5!

On the eve of my hubby's birthday, I thought I would show you what he did for Dean, our 2 year old for his birthday a couple of months back.

I am sure you have seen this cake before.  It is from Donna Hay's Kids Special.  It looked easy.  I baked the cake and Rick, after wincing at my pallet knife skills took over putting his many years of roof pointing and rendering to good gastronomic use.  I complained at his taking over but was actually quite relieved because I really do suck at that kinda thing. I do.

I really have a great man.

While he was slaving away, I mucked about with frosting and cupcakes that needed less precision!

Dean did such a good job of blowing out his candles.  Probably was a bit agro from having is hands held back from the flames.

And then Rick could relax.

So it is Rick's birthday tomorrow.  He'll get what I promise him every year and almost always deliver . . . roast beef and yorkshire pudding.  And dessert?  Not sure, but I will think of something.

Do you have a birthday ritual in your home?

Birthday Boy (oops Man)

My marvellous hubby celebrated another birthday last week.  We aren't a birthday-gift-giving couple - we buy eachother presents together throughout the year as "just 'cause pressies".  So, not breaking with tradition, I didn't really get him anything!  Yes, I ordered a photography book yet to be delivered but nothing on the day. 

So later in the week, I organised with the help of my lovely friend Shelley, a little dinner gathering of Rick's older kids (bar one and his wife) as a surprise (they all live 1.5 hours away).  And he was surprised.  Rick's love language is acts of service so I think I hit the nail on the head with this one.

We dined on baked lemon & thyme chicken, roast potatoes, homemade yorkshire puddings (because Aldi discontinued them again!), steamed vegies and garlic bread.  Followed by the easiest of easy desserts: Apple Crumble!

And this is our favourite beverage at the moment that Rick drinks "despite it being pink"!



Plus, I must thank Ms Rita for taking the photos as I was tangled in dishing dishes and toddler wrangling. xx

I've Got Knits : a beanie for a birthday boy



modelled by Liam


I knitted up this little beanie for friend's 3rd Birthday.  Such a quick knit and fun to do.  I have never done an i-cord and was delighted that it was very easy (don't you just love how it curls over at the top- makes a good loop to hang on a hook!).  And yes, like my other beanies, I got the pattern from this book.

Happy Birthday Ezra!  (Your party was heaps of fun too!)

xxx

Yes Cake!

Can you have a party without a cake?  I guess you can seeing that Rick and I didn't have a wedding cake (I baked about 100 Raspberry & Coconut cakes- more about that another time) . . . but can you have a 1st birthday celebration without a special cake?  I don't think so!  It just wouldn't be the same. 

So, being brave and new, I decided that it was time that I should confront fondant and tell it who's boss.  Ok, I actually enlisted the help of my friend Jen who has made a few multiple storey fondant decked cakes for her daughter's birthdays- but asking for help is not breaking the rules!

So you start with about three of these chocolate numbers.  Don't be put off if your cake sinks in the middle because you cut them to size and lay them like bricks with a butter frosting morter.



I bought that apron in San Fransisco and love it - thought I'd let you know . . .

Then you cut your fondant, add your dye paste and knead, roll and wrap!  Jen took these photos and laid the fondant on the cake for me (I didn't have time for mistakes so she did it!)

photographer

But I covered these vanilla cupcakes.  Oops, a bit of icing powder here and there!

This is the end result.  One happy little birthday fella and his little family!

Will I use fondant again?  Yes, perhaps.  It is totally a visual thing for me as I don't like to eat it as much as I like eating a sourcream frosting or a decadent chocolate ganache (with or without the cake!!)

So, I think I can tick fondant off my list of brave and new things despite the excessive use of icing sugar. 

xxx