Birthday Party Confessions

Birthday party season is upon us yet again.

Cole turned two on April 7th & big brother, Riley, four on May 30th. Great thought went into each party with Cole opting for a low key Bob the Builder BBQ at a friends beach house we borrow from time to time in Point Leo. Riley chose a more elaborate party with a select few joining him bowling then the rest of his favourites coming back to ours for pizza. Add a SpongeBob SquarePants theme and you have a SpongeBob SquarePants Bowling Pizza Party!

While Cole invited two friends (technically one of them by default), Riley ended up with a figure around the 15 mark (I stopped counting once more than 15 kids arrived & had already made certain I had extra loot bags for such a situation). Stuffing them full of pizza, crisps, fairy bread & honey joys as cake time drew near I felt a certain hush fall upon the room (at least where the parents were concerned).

You see, my children have become known for their wonderful birthday cakes. Every year tops the one before & every year I have the praise poured on. Parties we attend are always accompanied at cake time with comments such as "It's not quite the standard you'll be used to, Veda" or "It pales in comparison to Riley's Spiderman cake from last year I'm afraid." But the truth is, I don't make the cakes. Never have. Aside from Riley's first birthday cake (a Blues Clues one that Robin iced after I botched the icing) & assisting Robin's mum with Cole's first birthday cake (Thomas the Tank Engine) my time at parties is spent instead making sandwiches (the gourmet ones where I use a slice of white & a slice of multigrain so both child & parent alike are pleased), mini pizzas & all the other stuff guests can enjoy.

So where do we get the cakes, I hear you ask. Simple. We ask our pastry chefs to make them. This year we didn't even have to ask as Pierre, our wonderful pastry chef extraordinaire, has a soft spot for the boys & offered well ahead of time.

And do the boys appreciate them? Yes, I think they do. Cole was in awe of his Bob cake & though Riley appeared equally as pleased with his SpongeBob one on the day when it came to thanking Pierre in person he did, however, question Pierre's decision of giving SpongeBob a rounded head instead of the expected square!

Next years parties are already in discussion with Buzz Lightyear looking a strong possibility for Cole & The Hulk, maybe Iron Man, firm contenders for Riley's.

There's also talk of a Halloween party this year which opens up endless cake oppotunities.

I just hope we always have pastry chefs because goodness only knows what I'd knock out.

And for the record, out of the numerous parties I have been fortunate to attend I have always thoroughly enjoyed, appreciated and sometimes even envied the guest of honour's cake!