"Children make your life important. "

Dear Sugar Diary,

  Earlier  this evening I had a moment ... I was laying in bed and my youngest son came into my room and laid beside me. He put his arm around my neck and said " Mom...when are you going to teach me to make fondant?" I looked at him and smiled...."Well how about I teach you when you are sure you won't try to eat it all?" He giggled and said he wouldn't eat it and could I please show him. I asked him why he wanted to learn and he said "Well mom..one day your going to be old and you won't be able to make cakes anymore and I want to make them for you." INSTANT LUMP IN MY THROAT! My eyes teared up and I told him I wasn't going to be that old any time soon and we still had time to learn and experiment together. He seemed satisfied with that answer and headed off twords the living room to watch TV. As I heard him settle into the recliner I started to think about the birthday cake he made me last November....It was one of the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen in my life ! He made it 100% all by himself and he is only 8yrs old. I stood in the kitchen while he baked it  but other than that he did it all by himself. I only coached him while he MADE buttercream from scratch.....and while he decided if he was going to make a white cake or yellow cake...lol...he decided yellow cake because he said separating the yolks from the whites was too much work...hee hee.....=) Of course I took pics the whole time ....I was in awe that he was so committed to this mission....he really wanted to make me a cake for my birthday! And he said he had watched me enough to know what to do..... of course as any mother would.. I had my trusty cell phone camera ready.....

He made the cake batter with instruction.....

His cake came out beautifully!

He used the left over batter for cupcakes=)

Then mommy let him use the "big guns" for making some buttercream.....

Now it was time to color his batch of buttercream....

Such concentration!

Yays! The fun part ...DECORATING!!!!

Wow! He even wanted to write a message!

The most beautiful cake in the whole wide world!

 I felt so special! Look at it! Isn't it amazing?! I mean I know it was made by an 8 year old and all....but when I look at it I see the heart in it...the concentration and the way he sticks his tongue out when he focuses on something....it is one of the cutest things ever! He did an amazing job and this is his FIRST cake ever! He stuck some animal print candles in it and ran and got the rest of the family and they sung me Happy Birthday....his little face looked so proud and he was standing 8 ft tall! The cake was then cut and we all had a slice and he was so worried....asking over and over "How does it taste? How is the buttercream?" That's when I couldn't help think he had the makings of a baker....he was so worried about how we were liking it. ;) We all assured him it was delicious and that he did a great job. He turned to me and said " Mom one day when I am bigger I am going to go to school and learn things and teach you since you didn't get to go." I cried. I cried the happiest tears ever. I told him that sounded like a great plan! So later that day we went out to dinner......he left the table and I followed him with my eyes.....he went over to a server and said something......I saw the server smile and walk away....my son returned to the table smiling.....2 seconds later the server returned with a cupcake and in it was a lit candle....They sang Happy Birthday to me once again and again my son's eyes twinkled. he made my 33rd birthday the best birthday ever! I still have that cupcake.....i couldn't eat it and I couldn't throw it away. It is 4 months old now and the candle snapped in half and is being held in place by the wick. But I won't ever throw it away...it's one of my most prized possessions.

   I know that sometimes our kids can be a pain in the neck...they can try our patience and make us want to run away or scream...but moments like these make all the not so great moments seem...well not so bad! I hope that he DOES continue to want to bake....I hope that he really does go to school and teaches me a thing or two....but in the end I just want him and my other two kids to be HAPPY. Whatever they choose to do I hope they choose wisely...I always tell them that my job doesn't feel like a job at all...it is what I love to do even if I found it a little late in life.....the important thing is I found it . And I leave you with this .... a quote from one of my favorite women....


                              "Children make your life important. " 
                                                                             ~Erma Bombeck