"My hand grew last night!"

Little Miss firstborn had a monumental day on Saturday; birthday number five!

She ran into my room shortly after 6am to reveal what had happened during the preceding night.  "Dad, dad, my hand grew last night."  She no longer held up 4 fingers, she could now display all five of them in great glory.  

Since daylight had sprung, it was also time to jump into the car to pick up her friends for the party (which began at 2pm).  I couldn't justify a trip around the neighborhood at 6:30am to round up all the invited 4 & 5-year olds, so her consolation was to eat Cookie Crisp* cereal (right out of the bag) and watch an episode of Clifford, the Big Red Dog.  She wasn't aware that our fine PBS affiliate aired such programming just for her birthday, but I thank the good people at KUED for their cooperation.

She requested waffles to accompany the Cookie Crisp*, so I obliged.  Then it was onto the feline cupcake pièce de résistance.  I baked 23 cherry chip cupcakes the night before with the intent of forming a giant cat face for my audience of 14 children.  Unfortunately, every design ended up looking like a pig or bat.  Until Saturday morning, while in my time of need, inspiration hit and the cat's body was born.  Following the configuring of the cupcakes, an hour of frosting (this was my second time, ever), and endless tormenting from the birthday girl to lick the icing bowl, my kitty was complete.

Notice the flames on the ends of the candles?  No?  That's because no fire could withstand the birthday windstorm...ahhh, memories of Southern Alberta.

The party was a success, despite gale-strength winds in our backyard.  Children brought their favorite stuffed animals for a vet clinic, to bling them out with a new owner-designed collar, and take them for a ride on the inflated tire tube (a little ghetto, but it worked).  Aunt Jen even came through with some intense face painting and extra party games when we ran out with thirty minutes until parent pick-up time.  

Great party, but it's even greater that we don't do a "friend party" every year.  Although, my expertise in cake ingenuity goes through the roof with each finger added to the hand.

* Today's blog post is not brought to you by the makers of Cookie Crisp because it is truly one of life's biggest disappointments.  Add cookies to the ingredients of almost any other substance and it's culinary nirvana...add it to cereal and it tastes like waxy crap that sticks to the roof of your mouth for days.