birthday. cold. busy.
Hi. It’s been really cold here. The kind of cold that hurts your face. I don’t think we’re used to winters like this anymore. Brutal. But I have to say that I haven’t minded all that much (not that I’m spending any real amount of time outside), but I just make sure to bundle up in a million layers and wear my ridiculous floor length down coat and shearling lined boots and it’s been…refreshing. But what is up with the kids refusing to wear hats and gloves in this weather? Do they not have the cold feelings? I’ve given up forcing them to wear their cold weather things because it’s gotten pointless. I’ll at least flip their hoods onto their heads if they refuse to put on their hats and they’ll immediately flip it back down. Repeat the back and forth flip/unflip all the way to school.
Mark and I both had a very busy week of work. The week ended today on his birthday, which we celebrated with a dinner out at a newish ramen place and some cake at home. The girls get so giddy over birthday cake it’s contagious. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love cake, but the sheer giddiness! Claudine insisted that Mark sit at the head of the table and that I bring the cake over while they sang happy birthday with the apartment darkened except for the candle. It had to be done a certain way – their way. So bossy.
Anyway, the cake. It’s been so long since we’ve bought a cake since Mark is the resident cake maker. It’s kind of like eating other people’s cookies – something we rarely do or buy at the store because, well…you know. While eating cake, Mark and Mia discussed what kind of birthday cake she might want for her upcoming birthday and she said Black Forest. It made me laugh. Mark’s been asking the girls for their requests on cakes ever since they could talk and have an opinion, and he’ll usually make what they request. The cakes all turn out good no matter how unusual the flavor combination, but it doesn’t always mean it’s a hit at birthday parties. There will always be those handful of kids who will bring their uneaten plate of cake to Mark and politely (and often shyly) say, “I don’t like this cake”. Haaaaa. I guess sometimes you can’t compete with Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines.
Funny about the hoods. North of you, near Boston, yesterday leaving the library, I saw a fourth grader girl entering wearing jeans and a tee shirt! And clicking her heels on the trot in. Oh, to be young again.
Not quite so cold here (west coast) however, it did drop to the high 30s to 40s in the morning last week. Many of the high schoolers (I teach) were wearing flip-flops and mini skirts. One girl was also wear a tank top without a sweater or jacket. She told me she rarely feels cold. I told her that she should have a doctor check it out. Ha!
Your cake story made me chuckle. My niece doesn’t like store bought cake, or homemade cake made from scratch. It doesn’t matter how fine the cake is, she only likes cake made from a box. So strange, but she is a lovely person.
I understand the hood thing. When I was 7 or 8 I hated hoods. Wearing my hood meant that I was still a little kid. Also hated hats because I thought I looked stupid in them (still feel this way about baseball caps). I liked to let my hair flow over my coat. Earbands I’d wear sometimes. In my teens I wised up and gained appreciation for hoods again. Maybe your girls will wise up sooner than I did.
My kid is that kid – she only likes white or yellow cake with white frosting. We had to have a very frank discussion when she was about 4 and started going to other people’s birthday parties that the birthday person gets to pick the cake flavor, not the guest
She is now polite but often very disappointed at her friends’ parties.
I’m not much for cake, personally. I’d rather have birthday ice cream cones!
Thank you for blogging. It’s one of my faves.
Wish you had a “like” button, this is a lovely post. I hear you about the cake, my almost 12 year old has these types of requests (he ate creme brulee everyday while we were in Paris this summer) and we usually save the special cakes for our family celebration and serve the boxed cake mix cupcakes at bday parties. Hope Mark has a great birthday weekend!
So funny about the cake!
For my oldest girl’s birthday i usually make orange cake with orange curd frosting. I have been making this cake for her since she was 5 i think. When she was 9 , at her small birthday gathering a girl came up to me and said that it was not a proper birthday, as there was no choclate cake, and birthday MUST have chocolate cake!
Your reference to Duncan Hines made me laugh. My husband and I always say it reminds us of our middle class upbringing and so, we tend to not mind the taste of it. Happy (29th?) Birthday to the talented Mark.
@sora 29, hahaaa
Happy birthday!! mmm a black forest cake would totally hit the spot right now.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has given up on trying to get my kid to wear a hat and gloves in zero degree weather !
same here. my kids hate hats. i’ve given up getting any cute hats for them. and birthday cakes? ! before going to any birthday party, he tells me how much he hates cakes. For his birthday i created a donut cake, which was basically a pile of donuts. the kids all loved it!