February Babies!

OMG!!!! What a massive month February will be for the rest of my life! I’ve been quite quiet on the blog of late as I have just finished celebrating my daughter’s 2nd birthday last week and my son’s 7th birthday yesterday!! When I think back now, it surely wasn’t good planning on our behalf! And what is more ironic is that both Bailey and Mia, who are my eldest and youngest babies, were both suppose to be March babies but were born at 38 weeks…so February it is!

In the past two weeks I’ve baked 5 birthday cakes, 60 cupcakes, a batch of biscuits, pikelets, pancakes, wrapped several presents, decorated and sang happy birthday a number of times…and as much as I’m lying here quite exhausted today, I just love making my babies birthdays special!
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I’ve had so much fun cake decorating this month:)

It all started with Mia’s birthday on Sunday the 17th. We were hoping to spend the day at the beach swimming and soaking up the beautiful sun rays, but it hasn’t stopped raining this month so we were forced to stay indoors! But that didn’t stop my precious little one from having a fabulous day! We had family come over for dinner and cake and Mia loved all the attention….
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And that was just on her birthday!

Mia had a big 1st birthday party with lots of friends, so we decided to have a quiet low key ‘polka dot theme’ morning tea with a few little friends this year at her regular hang out – The Runcorn Pool!
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Another year of celebrating my precious little angel’s birthday…I still can’t believe my youngest is 2 already;(

Next cab off the rank was Bailey! With his birthday on a Tuesday (which is footy training night) this year, we decided to have our family celebrations on Sunday night at his favorite Kuraby Hotel. He chose everything. The venue, cake, his meal…Mr organised – so not like his father lol! It was a great night and was more relaxed being on a weekend rather than a week day.
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Bailey’s actual birthday was yesterday. It was one of the first birthdays that I haven’t been with one of my children on;( between school and work I saw him briefly in the morning and for a couple of hours once I got home. I hated it:( 7 years ago and every year since then we’d spent the day together. I felt like I’d lost a part of me yesterday. But once kids go to school that’s what happens I guess! Bay still had a great day though. I made cupcakes for him to take to school and he had his request of Hungry Jacks for dinner. He received such wonderful gifts that he loves and is very excited to have over $100 to go shopping with!
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The note I left in Bay’s lunch box with money for an ice block;)

Bay had a party last year with his school friends so this year he has decided he just wants to have a sleep over with a few mates. So this Friday night we’ll have four 7 year olds under our roof and then they are heading to The Runcorn Pool the next morning…this is a daddy job as this mumma is stuffed lol!

To my February babies,
Your birthday will always be a day where I celebrate the best days of my life. I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. The moment you took your first breath, let out that first cry for milk and the instant bond we formed when our eyes found each other. As I close my eyes I can still feel your soft baby skin that I kissed (and still kiss) a billion times over and those first precious moments of cuddling we shared are times I’ll always cherish. I’m so blessed to be your mumma and love you more than words can express. It’s uncanny that the first time I became a mum was in February and the last time as well. You are both so alike with your fearful ways, bossy personality, funny sense of humour and your need to be cuddled and nurtured! I love how much you both adore each other and I know you will share this special bond for the rest of your lives. Happy birthday my February babies…am looking forward to another year of growth and development!
Love your mumma!

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My Cake Album!

I look at some of the things I do now and think how much I’ve changed! I guess it’s more that I’ve evolved over time rather than changed. I’ve always been able to cook and bake but have never had a passion for it. It was one of those things I did every now and again or I’d be right into it for a while and then I’d get bored! Then I became a mum and I had more of a reason to bake….especially birthday cakes!

I’ve always baked and decorated my kid’s birthday cakes from when my first born turned 1. I look back at the first few years and think OMG I really have evolved lol! Then I had a little girl and I think it was the fact I was able to play around with lots of pink and pretty things that I started going out of my comfort zone and creating something really special for my little ones:) At first I stuck to just cupcakes but by the time my daughter turned two I wanted to prove to myself I was more than just about cupcakes!

Since then I’ve made cakes from a designed cake tin, numbers, a horse track, two and three tier cakes and have done many themes! Originally I only created my cakes for my children, but now when there is a special event in the family I’m the cake lady they come too:) I even did my daughter’s christening cake last year (it only took to the third child to finally have a go)!

Here is a preview of the cakes I’ve baked and created over the past couple of years:

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Before I do a cake I start with the theme of choice and then work from there with colours and decorations. I believe it’s not just about the cake. I use my large chopping board as my cake board and decorate that as much as the cake. I use my love of scrapbooking to help create the touches on the board which I think go nicely with the cake! At first I concentrated more on the decorating side of things and only used packet mixes, but as of late I’ve been experimenting with different cake recipes and baking from scratch!

I love doing my cakes and I know I have many more ahead of me. With each cake brings about a new experience. I have two special ones to do in the next couple of months, my nana’s 80th and my mum’s 60. These are sure to be special as they are for two very special women in my life. Keep an eye out in the future for any updates of future cakes that I create:)!

20120919-122458.jpgMum’s 60th cake:)

20120919-122552.jpgNana’s 80th cake:)

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Sister inlaw’s 18th Star Wars themed cupcakes!

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Halloween masterpiece;)

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My very first Christmas Cake!

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Christmas Cupcakes!

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Mia’s 2nd birthday cake!

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Bay’s 7th birthday Xbox cake:)

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30th Broncos cake:)

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Easter Masterpiece….choc chip cupcakes with buttercream icing and mini choc eggs and glitter dust to decorate!

Dad’s lolly cake:)

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I even made my own birthday cake and cupcakes this year:)

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It’s been two months since I baked or decorated a cake or cupcake. We’ve been through some very tough and sad times of late with the passing of my nana and other family tragedies. But this week we’ve spent celebrating my daughter’s 5th birthday!!! Over the past couple of weeks I’ve done a batch of cupcakes for Sienna and her class, a cupcake masterpiece for her birthday party and my very first rainbow cake! All were loved by my daughter and it was great to get back into doing something that I love!
Here are the finished products…

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