Another trip around the sun...

Wednesday was a cold, wet dreary day.  While delightful, Christmas day had been a very long day and we were all worn out.  The boy and I were still feeling cruddy.  All I wanted was to clear out all of the Christmas decorations, get the house back to normal and get us all back to being healthy.  The last thing I wanted to think about was the fact that not only was the next day my birthday, but that I had to get the house somewhat presentably clean...not Company clean, but at least Family clean (floor swept, dining table cleared off, toilet paper in the bathroom).  

Then Thursday morning my little family allowed me to sleep in and I woke up to blue skys and sunshine.  Still cold...but I wasn't planning on going outside anyway.  Kiddos and I lounged on the couch most of the day enjoying a Mythbusters "007" marathon on the Discovery channel.

By the time my parents and my sister and her kiddos arrived I was feeling mostly human.  Himself had brined half a cow of ribeye steaks earlier and then grilled them to perfection.  My mom showed up with a bowl of my aunt's freshly cooked collard greens.  The only thing worthy of topping a birthday dinner like that was the cake that followed...

My precious son, months ago, declared he wanted to make my next birthday cake.  You make cakes for everyone else, and I want to make a special one just for you.  

I told him that maybe that was something he could talk to his grandmother about when they came back for Christmas.  And so he did.  The two of them conspired, planned and created this amazing cake!

Jacob did a lot of the piping.  He helped with the baking.  He placed the final decorations on the cake. Even wee Kyleigh had a hand in the creation...she helped with the baking and with the choosing of the images.  My cake business may just have to take in a couple of half pint partners soon.

Somehow they figured out I was a Batman fan.  

I'm still not so sure how I feel about this new number.  I don't mind the getting older bit...it does beat the alternative.  But with cakes like this and families like mine, it's difficult to act my age.  Then I think, do I really need to?