Happy 1st Birthday P! and reasons not to make a big birthday cake

Trip #3- the last week of Aug we flew up to Seattle. This was our first real "payed by us" vacation since we got married. We planned a year ago to visit family and see the sites, because Evan had never been. I missed it, and Aug is the perfect time to go.. or was it.

See, here's where my summer gets crazy. I had planned, long before P was born that I wanted to make a cool cake for his 1st birthday. I could do it right? Having no experience won't hinder my puny artistic ability (or ability to copy a picture) right? Wrong. Here's where having no experience wasted a lot of time during Aug. I was so freaked out that I wouldn't be able to do it, that I did a practice run, including all the cupcakes, and thoughts of just how I would create such a perfect cake was constantly on my mind. In fact it was freaking me out. I was nervous for a whole month about this day. Planning, making runs to the store for the piping bags and tips, and food coloring, which by the way was the most nerve racking of all, was all it seemed I had time for. My house fell apart, my calling was lacking, my dinners-non existant, and my poor little boy was neglected. Nap times were all about cake and frosting. My freezer's bottom shelf was left bare for the cake.

Since we were to get back just days before P's birthday, I wanted to have the cake all done so my mind could be on other things-like cupcakes and oh, presents. In all the rush of last-minute packing it's no wonder I left the camera home, so we don't have any pictures of our trip. I'll give you some highlights: We went to the Ballard Locks, stayed a night with Travis and Erin, went to the "animal park" AKA animal farm, Hiked Snoqualmie Falls, went to the Museum of Flight, jogged in the rain, went to Pikes Place and bought yummy Salmon, shopped a little- mostly for thing we forgot- like makeup, and saw way too much Halo from my younger cousins still on Summer break. The weather was perfect, the company fantastic, and overall P did great.

When we got home, I had 1 day to put the finishing touches on the cake and make all the cupcakes and get them decorated. My sweet neighbor took P for awhile while I whipped frosting, colored it, and washed and rewashed all the tips. They were perfect. A friend came by later that night and helped me put P to bed and finish up the cake. It was all ready. Sigh. I proved to myself I could do it.

In hind sight I didn't need to be so worried about this that it consumed my life for weeks. I could have been just as calm with the same result. There is a first time for everything, and I learned a lot- especially about what I'm capable of. The best part?... The red turned out PERFECT! It took several tries and lots and lots and lots of red coloring. I still have a tub of it in the fridge.

We had a great turn out, and P enjoyed himself. I got him a free cake from Macey's so he wouldn't stain his skin with the red frosting. Thanks everyone for coming. I love your support and having you there meant a lot to me. Thanks Evan for being so understanding. I love, love, love you. No cakes for awhile. Promise.