Ryker's Birthday

So I asked Ryker what kind of birthday he wanted (I always make the kids a cake according to a theme that they choose--when they're old enough to choose, that is), and as he was thinking, Raelin, my incredible helper (tongue-in-cheek) said, "Ryker, do you want a kangaroo birthday?" Ryker got really excited and said, "Yeah!!!" "Okay, how in the world do you make a kangaroo cake!?!" I asked myself. Well, after much thinking and deliberation, I came up with this:

First I got on the internet and searched for cartoon pictures of kangaroos but couldn't find any I liked. So I used a photograph and tried my hand at drawing a somewhat cartoon-y kangaroo. Then, when I was satisfied, I put it on a cookie sheet and covered it with wax paper. Then I traced the outline with dark brown frosting and filled it in with lighter brown frosting. Then I put it in the freezer. When the cake was cooled, I piped the background onto the cake and then I took the frozen kangaroo and turned it over onto the cake and CAREFULLY peeled off the wax paper. Then I used chocolate syrup for the eyes, nose and mouth. Ta-da!!! Sometimes I amaze even myself! I thought this would be an impossible cake, but I was actually pretty happy with it. Though I will admit that the wax paper and freezing idea wasn't my own.

Ryker got a car-track rug for his birthday along with lots of other great presents. Mimi was there and so was Grammie and Uncle Jordan, Auntie Angel and Liam. Papa was in Illinois, Uncle William was working, and Granddad was sick--party poopers!

One of Ryker presents bit him! He got a little toy that shoots little helicopter things out of a funnel and mister curious wanted to watch how it worked. Right when the thing was launching, Ryker looked into the funnel and got whacked in the mouth with the flier. In the picture below he's showing me the blood from his lip. Poor birthday boy!

All in all it was a wonderful birthday for Ryker. In the afternoon, some neighbor friends came over to play water balloons (thanks, Mimi, for filling 200 water balloons that were gone in just minutes!) and have cupcakes. The kids had lots of fun and we even got them to play a few water balloon games. For dinner, Ryker had chosen baked potato bar (what 3 year old wants baked potatoes for his birthday dinner!? Okay, well his first choice was cereal, but he had that for breakfast) and it was delicious. Auntie Angel made a watermelon basket and Grammie brought corn on the cob and a BIG bag of M&M's. Then we opened presents and had cake and ice cream. Ryker loved all of it! It was a busy and fun-filled day.