7 Year Old Bacon

As the curtain gently closes on June 2015, I heave a huge sigh of relief. Why the dramatic sigh? Well June is notorious in my family for being “The Birthday Month.” Yes there are 11 other unsung months but those pale in comparison to June. You see, in my family we have no fewer than 5 birthdays in this icy month which promises the shortest day and therefore warmer weather – ha! Never happens. Tomato starts off the birthday month, (then Father’s Day, we won’t go there) then Bacon and we end the month off with my mother, brother and sister all on the last day (yes, my mom had twins on her birthday, many moons ago.)  So even though 2 of these family members no longer reside in the same country, the month is still hectic.

June is usually a busy month without adding birthdays, so perhaps the added birthdays just serve to highlight my busy life, as I am pushed to the extreme. To be honest it is really the kids’ birthdays that make me mind-bogglingly busy. Also, it is very strange, but when June rolls around, it is like a work magnet! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, far from it, I’m thrilled that I have been given a large chunk of work by my favourite company, but it always coincides with my hectic month. I remember a few years ago, I got a call (from said company) while I was standing in the cake decorating shop, getting supplies for the birthday cakes that year, begging me to get to the office as soon as I could, if at all possible. This was not the first (or the last) time that I had been asked to urgently attend an impromptu meeting, so the reason I remember this specific time and exactly where I was standing? Because it is the first and only time that I have EVER gone into a meeting on site in jeans, takkies and a t-shirt without any makeup and my hair in a high pony tail – not a pretty sight but I’m a sucker for anyone in need.

Anyhoo, I have been putting in a lot of hours, as well as lecturing and marking final exam papers, as well as planning and executing two birthdays and parties. It is interesting to me just how much baking I really have to do in June. Each child needs a birthday cake for their actual birthday, cupcakes for school and a fancy cake for their party. Now my children are generosity personalised and I really do love that side of them except when it impacts ME! I had to send 40 cupcakes to school for each birthday so that they could give to their own class, the friends who are not in their class and teachers and monitors that they like. *sigh* Sometimes I want to slap that big purple dinosaur who jovially taught them that sharing is caring!

The Birthday Wish List

So it was Bacon’s turn to get all the attention when we celebrated her turning 7 whole years. She counted down the days and unlike her sister who shouts things from the mountaintops when she gets excited, Bacon is very quiet and reserved, so when I would kiss her goodnight and whisper 5 more sleeps, she would just quietly let out a soft little “eeek.” She had her birthday wish list ready ahead of time but the gift that she just had to have, was, a giant teddy bear. The saddest part of her list is that she wanted a bunny for her birthday, not just any bunny, she wanted Fluffy, our pet who died last year – so heartbreaking.

Tomato had her party on the 6th and it felt like a blink of an eye before the cake mixer was moving at high speed towards birthday #2. I was mother-of-the-year as I allowed all 3 children to help sift, mix, break eggs and measure ingredients for the cupcakes, with zen-like calm. Each one of them got a turn to switch the mixer on and off  and each one got something to lick at the end – the bowl, mixing attachment or the spatula. I always imagine baking with my children will be like you see in magazines, with everyone clean and smiling and clean and working together and clean and the kitchen is clean and……. yes I like the picture in my head, and on the magazine page, but reality bites. The kitchen looked like the mixer had exploded when we were done, but it hadn’t. Sleeves were caked in batter, hair was stuck together and faces were smeared (including mine), but the zen master (me) resembled the coolness of a cucumber for the entire baking time. We ended up with cupcakes for (what felt like) the entire school and the kids had a ball decorating with their favourite Smarties-Astro combo, but with vermicelli this time for added effect. As usual, more sweets ended up in their mouths than on the cupcakes, but they were having fun.

Bacon didn’t really want I didn’t suggest a themed party (you see I’m learning here) but Bacon chose Sophia the First invitations which we filled in and gave out to her little friends. She loved the place where Tomato had had her party, but she wanted to do painting with her friends. Simple and easy.  Bacon asked for a bunny cake. On further investigation, I discovered she wanted a family of bunnies – a mom, dad and baby bunny on the grass. Knowing my creativity is SERIOUSLY lacking in the play dough/ plastic icing department, I quickly got on the horn to my sister-in-law who was born to make these things and within 2 minutes (I’m not joking here, it may have been less than 2 minutes) she had sent me a prototype made out of plasticine (which everyone obviously has on hand *not*) to get Bacon’s approval before proceeding!! The deal was sealed and viola the decorations were sorted but they needed to go on a cake. That’s where I come in. People wonder why my Kenwood mixer becomes a counter-hog because it never gets packed away in June, and this is why.

In the car. Buckled up tight. Important merchandise.

So we set to work to make our princess feel special on her birthday. First, I went to purchase the giant teddy and we had a few selfies along the way. He is huge and I sat him in the seat in the trolley like a child and I did get a few strange looks, but to be honest I often get strange looks, so it may not have been the bear…. Once in the car I sent this selfie of me and Big Bear to Hubby saying “I have the merchandise, all buckled up and ready to go for tomorrow.” He never responded. I then wondered why my client sent me a message saying “I hope I’m invited tomorrow.” I thought she’d been drinking! What work meeting had I planned on Bacon’s birthday that I had forgotten about and worse, I had forgotten to invite her to her own meeting?? My mind was racing!! But fortunately the blonde in me does this all.the.flipping.time so I quickly understood why Hubby hadn’t responded. Eeeek!!! Am I the only one who does this? And what’s worse, is that I often send the wrong messages to work colleagues, I hardly ever mess up when it’s a friend who would just laugh it off *sigh*. I’ve sent a message to the owner and MD of one of the biggest speciality stores in the country and one of my biggest clients at the time saying “I’ve just landed, can’t wait to see you!” I had just landed from a trip to Ireland and sent that message to Hubby, but apparently not. I wanted to earth to swallow me whole when he phoned me back. My mom once said “keep your name circulating whether it is good or bad, make sure you’re remembered.” Well I think I’ve got that covered! Making friends and influencing people – that’s me!

Arriving home

So little Miss Bacon awoke on her birthday to her room filled with huge pink balloons. She got dressed at lightning speed so that she could get to the pressies. Due to the size of Big Bear, he wasn’t wrapped, he was hidden under a blanket and a trail of presents led up to and under the blanket to his feet. She was so excited. How do we know? She was letting out controlled little eeeek sounds and hopping up and down, which means she is popping with excitement. After a fun morning opening presents and Nutella on toast for breakfast (sorry teachers) she went, armed with her cupcakes to school. Turns out 40 was too many (really? I’m shocked!) although Tomato managed to dish out her 40 but she likes to give to anyone and everyone whereas Bacon is a bit more reserved. One of the teachers hugged her and wished her Happy Birthday and she was thrilled. Her teacher gave her a birthday card and she got a sweet from the principal, so all was right in her world.

Bunny picnic

Granny and Grandpa did the pick-up and the girls were taken to a toy shop to choose some gifts. Oh boy were they excited and they came home with a fantastic array of gifts. Spaghetti Bolognaise was the dinner request from the birthday girl and desert was left over cupcakes from school. Even with all the sugar, sleep came quickly with Bacon’s head firmly planted on Fudgey’s tummy for the night. When I kissed her goodnight she hugged me so hard and said “Thank you for Fudgey Mommy, he’s the best present ever.” #heartmelts

So the birthDAY was over but the party day was not. School broke up, so everyone was excited (especially me not having to wake up at 5.30am for 3 weeks). I set about collecting the decorations and making the cake. Hubby did the delicate icing and we all had fun helping to make a bunny picnic on the cake. ONE.MORE.SLEEP.

Painting is hard work

The next morning 6 little girls ended up on one of the coldest, windiest days of the year, huddled together in a little craft shop, carefully painting their ornaments. There were bunnies, teddies and a dragon chosen and painted. They all loved the cake (nothing beats homemade cake and butter icing – NOTHING!!) The lady who teaches the kids how to do the painting, said she hardly ever gets home made cake with proper icing.  Before we knew it, the 3 hours were up and the parents were arriving to collect their children and we were headed home, armed with beautifully painted bunnies to open more pressies. We had a VERY happy little 7 year old!

More pressies

So the last 3 birthdays were pretty uneventful due to the geographical location of the twins and the disinterest of another birthday from Mema. The Kenwood mixer has now been packed away, together with all the icing paraphernalia, and will only be brought out for the next birthday extravaganza which happens to be for Lettuce in October. I get a bit of rest in between and his party is always a lot warmer than the girls’. Talking about Lettuce, you may wonder why he didn’t get to go on the toy shopping trip, shame why was he left out? Well he got a handmade train from Grandpa and boy does he love it!! He packs and unpacks it all day long. What else has he been up to? Well here are a few pics which may give you some idea.

His sisters married him off! Casanova-kiss!

We went to the zoo

Each block hand-crafted by Gramps

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