www.happybirthdaykeaton.com

My oldest rascal had a birthday yesterday.

And I only cried twice. Once because I thought about the fact that this is our last year in single digits (which really just means we're that much closer to puberty, and that scares the begeebies out of me) and the other time was when I was decorating the cake (which were caused by my intense hatred for all things buttercream at that particular moment....I have since forgiven the buttercream, and we are very much on speaking terms again).

Keaton started out his day at the dentist. What a rotten way to spend your birthday, I know. But for the 20 minutes Keaton was in the chair there was no other place he wanted to be. Thanks entirely to the laughing gas that was flowing freely.


And although this has nothing to do with Keaton, but because you might want to know, I ate this for lunch.

I actually didn't feed my children lunch yesterday, because I was too busy running my mouth with a couple of my besties, but I think 2/3 of them ate....while we were at Steph's. I think. The other 1/3...um....I'm not so sure about. Excellent parenting once again.

After a tremendous gab session where all things related to world peace and world hunger were not even mentioned at all unless in reference to things that Jim-Dad need not read about solved, I headed home to begin on The Project That Actually Made Me Understand Why People Jump Off Bridges....otherwise known as...

THE COMPUTER CAKE.

Yes. A computer cake.

Because, as I was informed by the little smarty pants, he has outgrown cartoon cakes. (Dad gum it...here come the tears again.) And, as I was also informed, he didn't think I could make Darth Vader. Standing up. With a light saber.

He would be correct.

So...a computer cake it was. How hard could it be, right?

I Googled a couple of ideas to copy (because this girl ain't embarrassed to totally rip off someone else's idea and call it my own...just keepin' it real) and tweaked a couple of my favorite ideas in my head.

Ahem.

This might have been my problem.

The whole tweakin' in MY head thing.

I started with baking 3 cakes. Yes. 3. (And don't act all shocked when all 3 cakes are devoured in less than 24 hours either....by 5 people....because we like us some cake.)

Then I channeled my inner Ace of Cakes and carved out some pieces for the MONITOR. And then I stacked them up. With cardboard in between each layer. Because in MY HEAD that would make it more stable.


And then I pretended like I knew what I was doing and "dirty iced" my cake. (I learned that on Ace of Cakes, too.)

This would be where it all started to fall apart. Literally. My blessed monitor swung this way and that way. Clumps of "dirty" chocolate buttercream were flopping and falling all over the ding dang place. Finally, I resorted to slapping walls of cardboard on all four sides to hold the stinkin' thing up. Geez Louise. Don't worry...I warned the family about inspecting each bite for chips of tree.

After it was all dirty iced....kinda, it was time to whip up the buttercream. YUMMO. It is possible that I slurped up a couple of fingerfuls, but I will deny it if you ask me about it. So don't bother.

And then mixed in the black.


And then it was time to put on the pretty icing. No pictures....because I was covered from elbow to fingertip in black buttercream. (Before you ask me....I don't like fondant. I like the real stuff, but after star-tipping my 7893rd black dot on that cake, I was wishing I had gone the whole fondant route.)

And now my fingers are permanently stained black. LOVELY.


Then it was time for the keyboard. And the mouse.

And finally......

Drum roll, please.............


If you hold your head just right, it isn't crooked.

All in all....I think it turned out okay. Keaton LOVED his cake, and he told me that it was the best birthday cake he's ever had. Love that kid.

Keaton's request for dinner was fish sticks and Ramen noodles.

No. Seriously. I'm not kidding.

So, we obliged.

And then we ate cake.

And more cake.

And even more cake.

And then we watched Shark Week......naturally.

Happy Birthday, Keaton!!!

You are an awesome kid. Love you from the stars and back and back again.