Saturday, January 15, 2011

Let Them Eat Cake

Today’s post WAS going to be about our latest and greatest pack of conversation cards. Instead, it’s going to be about cake and icing.


Cake and icing?

In short, my kids don’t get cake with icing until their first birthday. This started with my oldest daughter, and quite by accident. I fed her only healthy foods, as every new mom does. When her first birthday rolled around I gathered up a lifetime supply of cake-making stuff and I made her first birthday cake. It was a teletubby cake and it was gorgeous, in my opinion.

This tradition continues year after year.

Then, Bro was born and he had his first taste of cake and icing on his birthday… a winter birthday with a snowman cake.

Unlike my other kids, baby Bri is in daycare. And I’m surprisingly fine with taking her to daycare. She loves it there and lights up when she sees Ms Rachel and Ms. Betsy. Fine.

Well… ahem… when Dear Husband dropped off the kids this morning one of the moms in Bri’s class said that she was thinking about bringing in cupcakes for her baby’s birthday. She asked my husband if Bri would eat cake. He told her that Bri will eat cake but that I (Mommy) don’t want Bri to have cake and icing until her birthday.

It gets worse.

At that point, one of my coworkers was in the room also dropping of her kid. Her kid also has a birthday coming up. She said that she would talk to me about the cake and icing issue.

Dear readers… I hate to be this way but I am going to have to throw myself on the floor and kick and scream like a baby about this issue. I’m sorry… Bri does all sorts of things that I don’t get to see… the caregivers share all sorts of food with her. I come in and they say, “Bri really likes to eat [fill in the blank with whatever the ladies are eating that day]. Updates also include, “Bri has teeth; Bri is sitting up” and so on.

Ugh. No. No. The answer is No. No, she cannot have cake and icing. NO!

I tried to think of a compromise. You see, Bro has a birthday on Friday. Maybe Bri could have some of Bro’d birthday cake? But, somehow, this isn’t fine with me. Her cake and icing experience on her first birthday needs to be special and memorable because she is special and memorable. It’s what we do. It is our tradition.

I know that I might sound crazy… but I really want to make her first birthday cake and I really want her cake and icing experience to be special…and memorable… on her first birthday!

I’m not going to get over this.

Can you think of some way to make this better?
Should I just let it go?
Stand my ground?

Speaking of birthday...

I want to make this pillowcase dress for her birthday. 

A little complicated, I know.

What do you think?

5 comments:

SusieQ said...

That's a cute little dress.. but isn't it for warmer weather? Do you actually make it out of a pillowcase?

I am not going to venture an opinion on the cake.. I see both sides..

The Random Mom said...

I'm sure if you explained tot the ladies at day care just to give her cake with no icing and the reasons behind it it wouldn't be a big deal.

Sam said...

maybe bring in a cupcake for her without icing that day and they can just give it to her instead when it's time?

Mommy 24/7 said...

Listen, as a pre-school director I always had my staff accomodate the parents requests (as long as they weren't too crazy). Cutting the top off of the cupcake before serving it to her is cetainly something they can do. That doesn't inconvenience anyone and keeps your tradition in tact. If they seem unable to do that for you, I would ask to be notified when the cupcakes are coming in and then yes, either send in one of your own without icing or see if someone can pick her up early that day. (I know your in session, but maybe someone else could get her?) I assume they would do it at afternoon snack time so it wouldbn't be too early. Just my thoughts. They SHOULD do this for you!

Nap Mom said...

I think that I am going to make a "no icing" reminder sign for her basket (located right by the changing table). She's just gonna have to wait. That's all there is to it. I'm sure that thestaff will be fine with it, but I don't want to seem like "that parent." Apparently I have a reputation around there for being one of the "cool" parents. Gee - if they only knew!


Agreed - the dress is for warmer weather. Bri would probably wear a shirt underneath it. hmmm... I'll think about this one.