The Cake

This is what the cake is supposed to look like.

Preparations for Marni's 6th birthday began a year ago when Marni started watching how-to videos about birthday cakes.

Over the months she saw videos about princess cakes, Barbie cakes, ladybug cakes, and more. And she shared each and every video with me and Lisa.

Eventually she settled on a princess castle cake.

As her birthday drew closer she would make us watch the how-to video more and more often.

Lisa and I determined that we could probably handle the challenge, but decided to make a practice cake a week before her actual party... just in case.

So a week before her party (and while the kids were visiting with their grandparents) we undertook the practice cake.

Practice cake

Lisa gathered the ingredients and baked the 4 layers. I spent the night decorating. When the confectioners sugar settled, we ended up with a cake that pretty well matched the video. We marveled at it for a while and then gave it to neighbors because we didn't want the girls to see it when they got home.

A few days before her party, Marni began to complain that she didn't see enough cake-making action on our part. She was beginning to worry that we weren't actually going to make a cake. Two days before Marni's party we gathered more ingredients and tweaked our process. And the night before her party we once again crafted a princess castle cake.

The final cake

Cake #2 came out much better. Stella and Marni were appropriately impressed.

Needless to say, the cake was a big hit at the party the next day. We even had some requests to make cakes for other parties.

No thanks.

Now we move on to Stella's party. Originally she requested that we make the same cake for her. But lately she has changed her mind and has opted for an ice cream cake.

I vote for the ice cream cake too.

Overheard #36

The other morning I was walking down the street with Marni. As usual, she was non-stop talking.

At one point she asked me about the black writing that you see on some trucks. She didn't like it. I eventually figured out that she meant graffiti. I told her that it was writing that some people did on other people's property, and I showed her an example on a nearby wall.

She thought for a moment and then told me it reminded her of when the Jews painted their doors with blood at Passover.

Nice observation, Marni.

Marni's Latest Conquest

Just about six years ago, Marni had the doctors at NYU Medical Center rushing into the delivery room because she was in a hurry to be born.

Fast forward to April 7, 2012.

After watching big sister Stella ride around on her two-wheel bike in the park across the street, Marni decided it was time for her to try biking without training wheels. So she asked me to help her take a spin on Stella's bike.

She did a couple of laps with me holding onto her shoulders, and then I asked if it was okay to let go. She said yes, and away she went.

Marni successfully rode to the end of the handball court before coming to a bumpy, but safe, stop.

Immediately she demanded I go home to get a screwdriver and remove the training wheels on her own bike.

A few minutes later I returned with the necessary tool and took off Marni's training wheels. She mounted up. I gave her a push. And Marni graduated to the world of big-kid biking.

We visited the playground three times that day, and once the next day so Marni could practice her biking. Within 24 hours, Marni had become a seasoned bicyclist.

To put things into perspective, it took Stella a month to learn how to ride without training wheels. It took her until just a few weeks ago for her to figure out how to start without a push. Marni did it in less than an hour.

Marni is in a big hurry.