Long Live Max

This one.

He had a birthday.  The nerve...

I usually go...  ummm....  well.  I think I do just the right amount.  But my beloved husband disagrees.  He says I go coo coo for cocoa puffs around birthday time.  I had a brilliant idea for Max's 4th birthday.  My plan was to bake cupcakes.  Frost them.  Put a ton of different sprinkles into bowls.  Let the kids decorate their own cupcakes.  freaking genius.  But.  But...

My sweet Max said, No...  I don't want cupcakes.  I want a cake.  I know!  You can make it, Mommy!  Well.  How am I supposed to argue with that?  So we ended up with this guy.

Not my best work, Gentle Reader.  It's been a long time since I've done a big cake like this, and I seemed to have forgotten a couple of important things...  For instance.  ahem.  It matters what shape the cake is underneath before you put on the fondant.  Oh, yes.  It matters.  Which, is why my dragon resembles the Michelin Man.

Poor, poor Dragon.  He looks like he tried to squeeze into his high school jeans under there.  The Muffin Top Dragon.  So sad.  

Don't judge him, okay?  Maybe he's had three babies, okay?  Maybe he really likes carbs, okay?  Back off!

Max didn't mind.  Max loves his mother his dragon no matter how he looks in high school jeans.

We had a smaller crowd than usual due to the tornadic activity round these parts...  But all the kiddos still had a great time.  We all made our own shields.  Gotta have a shield with that tubby dragon around.  He eats kids, ya know.

 War-wah.  We wuv you.

To battle!

 Yowza.  That blue bouncy ball is gonna get it.

 Harry the Dragon Slayer.

 Wait!  Is that a ladybug?

War-wah.  Rockin' her mighty knight shield. 

 I contemplated having princess things at the party...  But I thought, and I thought till my thinker was sore...  The conversation with my husband went something like this...

It's important to me that the boys grow up to value strength in women, Chris.  I don't want them to ever confuse femininity with weakness.  I want them to seek out an equal partner someday, not an empty headed, vapid princess that needs saving.  It's so important to set the right tome from the very beginning, don't you agree?

My speech was met with a blank expression and glazed over eyes.  Honey.  You might be over thinking this.  Just a little.

Okay.  Maybe just a little.

No worries here.  Laura can certainly hold her own with a sword and shield...  while looking like a pretty princess at the same time.  She's the total package.

Oh, Baby Jason.  Your cheeks...  Your cheeeeks....

Who's the most excited about present time?

My friend Carrie, on Harry patrol.  Keeping the baby out of the cake while the rest of us are distracted with shiny boxes.  There's a knighthood in this for you, Lady Carrie.

And then...  And then...  The moment Max has been waiting for.  The birthday present that he has asked for.  Every day.  For two weeks.  That is not available in stores.  Only very overpriced on Amazon and eBay.

 The Serpent Pirate Ship!!!  It bewongs to meee!!!

Now for the hard part.

So far, the dragon is winning.  Clearly.

 Come on!  Blow!  Man.  Being a dragon slaying knight is tough work.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Max.  Four will be fantastic!