Monday 18 May 2009

The Big Question: Cake O'Clock


The Doctor's birthday is in just two sleeps. Two sleeps 'til I am the mama of a four year old. Sheesh.

The big question is, what cake does he want? I have to make two. One for his actual birthday. Another for the birthday party. He's already told me he wants lotsa lotsa cakes.
I'm consulting everyone's favourite just to be safe. But there's still loads to choose from.

I've been looking on Flickr for inspiration. The problem is, there's too much inspiration.

And party bags? Party games? Talk about party pressure. Experienced mamas - and any inspired creatures, gimme some tips, gimme some inspiration. Gimme me, gimme me, gimme.

In other breaking news, Tiny has been punking me up a storm of late (Ashton watch out). She's teething with the best of them - I think there's four teeth coming through at once including two eye teeth - yowsers). So she's been super grumpy - and for good reason. Here's one glimmer of the usual Tiny. One of my friends gave her the greatest little red coat. Tiny is obsessed with it and seeks it out at every opportunity. She finds it, tries to put it on, can't, cries out, and I pop it on and she's happy. She found its little red hood today - and wanted that on. That made for one happy Tiny. ('scuse the wee mess in the background - didn't see that did you, you were blinded by Tiny's cheeky smile).

17 comments:

Cass said...

Too cute. You could do a pin the something on the him. Lie him down some butchers paper and trace around him. Then you can both decorate him and pick a body part the kids can pin on.

Monique said...

How cute is that Tiny! And my, look at all those teeth! We didn't do party bags for the rooster as kids go home from parties loaded on sugar anyway. Instead we did a lucky dip of party treasures. Matchbox cars for the boys and little fairy books for the girls. It was hit with both mamas and littlies.

Leonie said...

Party favours: Little bottles of bubbles to go home with, buy them in bulk from various "cheap" shops.
Best cake: We have that book but with the blue cover and the ladybird on the front. On page 176 in mine is the "Party Pinata" and we had it for my 3 yo's birthday last year. It was a hit with the birthday boy, the kiddy guests and the parents all for different reasons, the best bit was the parents faces when we gave the birthday boy our REAL hammer covered in alfoil to smash it with. If you don't have it in your book let me know and I'll get some pics to you. Easy to prepare, not too time consuming, you just need a really big bowl!!!

home girl said...

i love putting on a party, but defo know that pressure to do something magical and live up2 a 4yr olds expectations. i rekkon the best short cut to impressing is with cupcakes - so easy to decorate and make exciting with different coloured icings. just make sure there is enough 4 everyone. they look v impressive on a cup cake tree thingo. my other fav party hits is i order a big platter of avo sushi - kids and adults love them and will be impressed at the healthy option in amongst the sausage rolls etc. i usually hire or borrow a jumping castle which becomes a focus for entertainment (mite not b enuf time for this one), i do a bubbles activity (stock up on bubble guns etc) great 4 all ages. i dont do sweets in party bags, just some stickers, glitter glue pen or similar, balloon, whistle mayb. hope u guys have a great party - look forward to hearing your report xx

Amy Badskirt said...

If tiny wants lotsa cakes, you could do a cupcake tree with a mix of flavors or a train cake with each car as a separate cake. We had one in the seventies:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0TKXE8TQh6I/SOLHVYIaZII/AAAAAAAAA3s/ugO1jkcjGgQ/s1600-h/SAVE0073-small-4.jpg

I'm absolutely out of touch on what kids like these days though, so maybe trains are a bad idea?

Amy Badskirt said...

I thought I'd take a second crack at it too! How about a firetruck and an ambulance? I don't have the cake book, but I'm leaning towards vehicles.

Laura Jane said...

Its all about the cakes. The cake books were required reading for months prior to birthdays, and they each still recall the ones they had for each birthday!


Allow me to share my 23 years of experience...but I'm not that up to date with current trends...

The cupcake caterpillar?

The number 4? I did one for each of mine at that age - one with a fave colour theme (green, the whole party was green based) and one with space men and Lego.

A big rectangle with 4 Matchbox cars on a cardboard track?

A school of 4 fish? One big fish from a roaster baking dish with a double mixture and freckles for scales? and cut out really simply?

Games... I'm not so hot on those. But I did do lolly bags with minimal colouring, maybe a pack of crayons and a personalised notepad for self expression. And I always had a spare bag or two for stray siblings.

BEST OF LUCK!!!!

And that photo of Tiny will be such an all time fave in years to come, I can just tell how delighted she is with herself.

Joy said...

Sorry, I'm absolutely no help to you as far as party bags and cakes are concerned as I'm waaaay past that stage now. But I just HAD to write and say how CUTE your Tiny looks in that little hood - she just looks simply delighted. Frame that piccy and put it on your wall ... it's so adorable :o)!!!
Hugs,
Joy :o)

meetmeatmikes said...

Oh parties! Hurrah!

You could make up little packets of seeds - 'grow your own beanstalk' a la Jack and the Beanstalk? And beans are in season. And they grow really super quick. That could be good...?! Better then lollies?

I just love those old fashioned cakes from the WW cookbook. ESPECIALLY the dinky cowboy one and the swimming pool one. I think dinky far surpasses chi-chi. But that's just me....

Please send me that Tiny. I don't have one of those. I like her a lot.

xx

Cath @ chunkychooky said...

I have noticeda lot of stressed mums at parties. pass the parcel seems to end in tears, treasure hunts seem to go well...

good luck with it- remember to breathe deeply.....

the little red coat is gorgeous- I am making a little red riding hood cape with head for Busy at the moment from red velvet...

Janet said...

we had a four year old birthday party recently - I wish I'd finished all the sadnwiches etc before the guests arrived - but apart from that a luridly coloured cake in the shape of a cat was a hit. Games were an easter egg hunt, statues and chasey. Otherwise they just played with Grace's toys and in the cubby house. As for lolly bags, I did paper bags with a picture from the invitation, the child's name and some star tickers on the front. Each bag had a lollipop, a bouncey ball, some sultanas and lots of stickers. They loved them! Especially that each bag had their name on it. Oh and the lolly pops. The mothers were pleased that the sugar was pretty much limited to the cake and the lolly bags.

Michelle said...

That Tiny is so adorable!

A few ideas for parties - I usually get the children to work - disguised as a party activities. We do a treasure hunt, but first the kids are given a plain paper bag to decorate. Crayons, glue, bling, textas, the works - a craft activity to get things going. The bag is used to carry the found treasure and becomes the party bag too.

Sticking to the DIY theme with the cake we usually do a big one but cupcakes could work- arrange small bowls of different decorations and get the little ones to decorate the birthday cake for you. You can do the icing first, or get them to do that too, depends how much mess you want. The WW farm yard works well but smarties etc are good too. The cake isn't pretty, but the kids love it and let's face it, they usually only eat the icing anyway!

Good luck, parties are lots of fun and as long as there's plenty of balloons everyone's happy!

Cindy said...

First up, how cute is that little red riding tiny, even if she is punkin up a storm (Poppy is doing the same with no teeth in site, just evil) How is her walking going? I love the zombie bum wiggle.
I went to a 5th party on the week-end that was a full on fotty party, a little scary for such little people.
I just cut had vanilla cake that I cut into the shape of 4 and put cars on it, like a road. Looked cute, but I think ice cream cakes are one a fave amongst the little ones.
We baked plain cookies and then let them loose with icing and sprinkles in the back yard, the boys had a ball. The pinjata, the ones with the door (no wacking) was a big favourite, you get them at spotty and they also have good cheap little fillers to put in like bouncy balls and parachute men and stuff. I just had one for each child then they could put it into their bags and take it home.

Kirsty said...

Tiny + red hoodie = super cute.

Kellie said...

I know how you feel ~ we just had our 5-y-o's birthday. We had a circus theme. It was really quite easy and diy - hot dogs and popcorn, bunting and red crepe paper for the big top and clown cupcakes (idea from donna hay). Big hit. I sent home a tiny bag of lollies with a smiley face pencil, stickers and cheap twirly top and clown face game. I put up some photos http://74limelane.com.au/2009/05/17/roll-up-roll-up-its-party-time/ if it helps. Good luck!

Umatji said...

For my boy's 3rd, I did what my Mum and Dad always did. Make an old fashioned butter cake (as it is firm and keeps really well) in a large square tin and then cut it into whatever is their favourite thing - I made a dragon one. The best thing is the possibilities are endless and no one else ever had one before and no one ever will again. As my boy loves pink, we made a pink dragon and the icing was 'pinked' with frozen rasberries - so no food colouring! Go wild and use your own design from his suggestion!

Jasmine said...

Haven't done no.4 yet so will watch with enthusiasm. Good luck with that.

Meanwhile, loving the red tiny and your couch.