Our Birthday Cake Tradition

I've mentioned before and I mentioned again last week that we have a birthday cake tradition of sorts. First of all, the birthday girl gets to choose the flavor and design of her cake. And better yet, she gets to do as much of the decorating as she wants.

It all happened 4 years ago on accident. My oldest daughter was turning 5 and wanted a "world" cake. This was before pinterest, so I had to rely on google to find images and ideas. I spent several hours searching and planning just how I would do this. I was a little concerned how it would turn out because I knew I wasn't a master cake decorator. The dinosaur cake I tried to make when she was 3 was proof of that.

So I made the cake and frosted it. Then I got out all my decorating supplies and suddenly was surrounded by my daughters and my husband. They started questioning what I was doing and then started telling me how I should be doing it.

I was mad. I had a plan. I had spent part of my week and day figuring out what I was going to do and here they were coming in telling me differently.

I wish I could say that I graciously handed over the reigns to them, but I'm not that mature. Or at least I wasn't 4 years ago.

Instead, I sulked out of the kitchen, wounded and mad.

But then I heard Sydney sharing all her ideas and talking very excitedly about her cake. That's when I realized that this was about her...not me. Even though I thought I had a good idea of how to make the cake and wanted to surprise her, she was in the kitchen creating the cake she had thought up.

This is how it should be. And so began a new tradition in our family.

No, the cakes aren't going to win any decorating contests, but my versions wouldn't have either. I really need to go dig up a photo of that dinosaur cake....


Here are the cakes from the past four years...

Sydney's Cakes

2010 ~ Earth

I love the random islands and the dolphins swimming in the ocean. Also the star sprinkles marking where we have lived and currently live. 

2011 ~ Narnia / Aslan

2012 ~ Castle

2013 ~ Lego 

2014 ~ Golden

and now Kayleigh's cakes

2010 ~ Princess

2011 ~ Flowers 

she's holding the design she made on paper earlier that day

2012 ~ Heart

2013 ~ Candy

And just to prove to you that I have no cake skills.....my t-rex