Happy Birthday!

This my friends is the breakfast of  birthday champions. As soon as the light of day breaks through the windows, the Littles will enjoy a nutritious, hearty helping of birthday cake. All before 8 am. Cake for the Littles, coffee for the mama.

Nine years ago on my 33rd birthday, our second Little and first daughter made her way into the world. I can see you doing the math in your head, you know. I’m 42 today. My beloved Little is 9. So today we celebrate! Beginning with Birthday Cake for breakfast. Because, why not?

Here’s the birthday girl just moments ago opening her presents. She found the princess crown (from her 1st birthday) and somehow woke up with it already perfectly in place on her sweet birthday head. Clearly her mother’s daughter.

Bed head and dragon breath, the birthday girls pose for their first pic of the day. Y’all it’s still in the 7’s in these parts…very early.

Yesterday, the grand assembling of the cake occurred. Dubbing the occasion in this manner makes it seem more important because the truth is…

Our cake came straight out of the box. Both of them. I just didn’t have my wits to try all the new flours and sweeteners necessary to make a perfect gluten-free cake. So can I get an AMEN for Pamela’s gluten-free cake mixes? And icings too!

The birthday princess requested a double layer cake of vanilla and chocolate. She also requested a strawberry layer, but Pamela’s Baking Goods glory does not extend that far. Here is the cake at the ‘big fat oreo’ stage.

I love this photo and it will always remind me of Littlest who is ‘up the counter’ in her princess big girl panties. We are 10 days into successful potty training and this it the ultimate birthday gift in my book. I do wonder what I will think in years to come about the purple finger nail polish on my birthday girl? I hadn’t noticed her manicure until I took this photo. Nice.

About this time during the grand assembling of the cake, just as the finishing touches were settling into place, Littlest threatened to destroy the masterpiece by secretly pulling the cookies off the cake and leaving finger trails through the icing. The birthday princess extended grace and patience as she swiftly moved her younger sibling from the scene of the crime. I was proud. Then the birthday girl declared ‘I want a gluten-free, dairy-free, SISTER-FREE cake’.  And proceeded to bop her sister on the head. Again, my pride swells.

Gratefully, this  younger sister stopped short of removing cookies and left sprinkles in place. But, she gave it a long contemplative thought…

Neighbors joined us from a far (long blocks, really!) and distracted the Littles from completely eating the cake on the eve of the celebration. All was quiet during the night.

This is the live-real-time-blogging scene from my writing perch. Littlest is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to cake. She wise beyond her three years.

And I am powerless to keep this birthday Little waiting any longer. Excuse me, while we celebrate 9 and 42 with birthday cake. For breakfast!