Zara’s 5th Birthday
Confused with her school concert date, we decided to celebrate Zara’s birthday a week earlier, thinking the concert would be held on her actual birthday, but it is actually a week later. We are obviously parents who do not read school notices.
On 14th November, we invited our neigbours, 6 families all in plus my SIL and MIL who also moved to our neigbourhood recently, to celebrate Zara’s birthday. This time, I ordered Nasi Dagang, fish curry and fried bee-hoon from a new restaurant near our place; at home, Jelly fried a veg, some chicken wings, and I baked some cheese puffs, apple crumble, and of course, Zara’s cake.
Zara has been very much into mermaids these days, so I thought I’ll create a mermaid cake for her with sea creatures all included.
Baking of the cake and cupcakes started Friday morning. In the afternoon, I tried to mould a mermaid using fondant, and in fact it was a nice mermaid with a tail that sparkled. I’m not sure what went wrong, but I suspect it’s due to the humid weather, the mermaid started sweating, and turning soft; by evening, it was one fat and flat mermaid. So at night, I started creating another mermaid, this time making its body thinner, and then I left it in a air tight container with dehumidifier sachets. I can still see the mermaid softening a bit, but it was better than the fat mermaid. Because of the softening of the fondant, I didn’t feel comfortable creating more sea creatures for the cake.
The fat mermaid that was ‘sweating’ away.
I decorated the cake and the cup cakes till 2am on Friday, and this was the end result.
Still a lot of room for improvement, but I guess for a first fondant cake attempt, it’s not too bad.
The cake (for adults) surrounded by cupcakes (for the kids).
Side track, on Saturday morning, Zara was being a bit naughty, and due to lack of sleep, I was getting grouchy, and I told her off, “If I knew you would be so naughty, I wouldn’t bake you the cake.” Now this was before she actually saw the cake I completed the night before, and guess what my spunky daughter said? “It’s ok mum. I can ask Daddy to buy from the shop. The ones in the shops are nicer anyway.” *crack! went my heart*
After she saw the cake, she felt really sorry, and started apologising profusedly. But you see, she is capable of saying such things.
Ok, back to the party.
It was a good turn out, and the girls have fun playing with their play mates (whom they regularly meet and play together at the park). I am thankful to my SIL who was entertaining 11 children in the play room with baloon fights and all, while I spent time chatting with the neighbours.
Now, Zaria has been attending friends’ parties, and she has stopped crying during birthday song singing since early this year, so we thought there won’t be any drama on Zara’s birthday. When the birthday song singing started, she was quiet for a while, and then suddenly burst into tears.
Later, when we asked her why she cried, she said “Everybody was singing so loud.” o.O”
Thanks to Kathy, who still caught Zara blowing her candles amidst the chaos (the loud bawl from Zaria, and Daddy running off with Zaria to calm her down).
One of the children came to me at the end of the party and said, “This is the best party ever. I have so much fun.” I give my SIL credit for entertaining the kids. π
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On Friday, a day before Zara’s actual birthday, we celebrated Zara’s and Zaria’s birthday in school. Zaria’s birthday is not until end of the year, but she wanted so much to celebrate with her friends and teachers in school I thought we’ll do this 1 month earlier together with Zara’s.
The day before, Zara helped me to think of how to decorate her cupcakes. She wanted flowers in the middle of each cake, and I got her to decide on the colours (with me making a few small batches of fondant in different colours). The final product, was a batch of cupcakes decorated with (store bought) sugar flowers.
I sent them to school in the morning, and stayed till their break time. I helped the teacher to set up the snack area to prepare for the ‘cupcake party’ (since that’s the only food served)
Zara and Zaria were beaming with happiness. When the birthday song was sung, Zaria didn’t cry, but was smiling and looking around. (Later when I asked her why she cried in jie-jie’s party, but not in school, her reply, “I only like children singing, I don’t like adults singing birthday song.” She’s sure full of excuses).
They were both happy to distribute their party packs to their friends too. Later, when Zaria came home without a party pack and started sharing Zara’s goodies, Jelly asked Zaria, “Why you didn’t take one party pack home?” She replied, “The party packs are for my friends. Not for me.”
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Happy 5th Birthday Zara, may you grow up healthy and filled with love and happiness. Daddy, mummy and mei-meil love you very much.
Happy Birthday Zara! The cake looks superb.
oh… those cupcakes sure look pretty.
Zara looks pretty in pink and with wings. Happy Birthday, Zara.
Happy Birthday Zara … and oh .. ur cake and cupcake was wanderful !!
very very strange hor..why zaria cries during singing of birthday song??? anyway both the cake (for zara birthday) and cupcakes for the parties r fantastic. very very nice.
Happy Birthday Zara and advance birthdya wishes to Zaria
“my SIL and MIL who also moved to our neigbourhood recently over to celebrate ZaraΓ’β¬β’s birthday” …wah..very impt birthday..hahaha
beautiful cake for a first attempt! congrats! i heard you need to use gumpaste if you want to model it..but WOW for you efforts.
you beautiful girls are well worth it though!
happy birthday zara! u are one lucky girl to have such a dedicated mummy to burn the midnight oil for your cake. mummy has set the benchmark again.
i love that shot of zaria blowing the candles, more like a big “muaks”. so cute!
well done zmm! π
Good job, mummy. Those cupcakes were simply awesome! Happy belated birthday to sweet Zara π
wow so nice…..salute u!!
wahh… the cakes look yummy!!! LIke I always say, you can actually run bakery at home now…
Happy Birthday Zara!
your mummy really put lot of effort for the cake ya!
The cupcakes are so nice!! My mum never bake bday cakes for me and my siblings. Never that fond of baking anyways. But I love baking! Ur girls are so blessed to have u as their mother la seriously. Despite Zara’s impeccable statement.
Happy Birthday Zara! and Zaria too! God bless you in your future undertakings. Be good girl u two!
Bravo to mummy – such dedication to bake AND decorate the birthday cake + cuppies and 60 more for the kindy. Really hats off to you.
Happy Birthday to Z & Z.
I always found surprises reading your blog. Surprises created by your girls (especially on what they said) and you, supermom! Happy birthday to both of your beautiful princesses π
Happy Birthday, Girls!! I love ur fat mermaid, reminds me of me! LOL
great job on the cake n deco…that’s the thing i hate about fondant…dats y i dun dare to make figurines,,no actually i did try but they turned out really ugly..hahahhaa..
Happy belated Birthday dear pretty Zara π
mommy did a great job on the cake, very nice!
zara still looks calm even zaria’s crying loud there π
Kudos to you for trying TWICE with the mermaid! I think I would have given up already and just settle for the fat mermaid LOL
Zara looks so pretty and serious. Zaria is so funny bursting into tears – maybe the adults’ voices are too loud!
happy bday zaria once again π
the cakes that yr mummy baked looked superb…what a great mom u had!!
and love seeing yr 2 hitam manis girls….haha