I'm Not A Cupcake Mom!
As I planned my oldest daughter’s first birthday party, I decided I wanted to make the cupcakes. I didn’t have any amazing baking skills. It was just something I wanted to do for my daughter. After all, most one year olds don’t exactly have gourmet taste buds. Mashed peas and yogurt anyone? As it turned out, I accidentally left my labor of love on the counter as we traveled out of state for my daughter’s birthday celebration.
The next year, as she turned two, I again decided to bake. I made cupcakes and used candy to make the top of the cupcake look like a cat’s face. She loved it, and since we had the party at our house, there was no chance of me forgetting the cupcakes!
By the next year, I was pregnant with my third child. My mother-in-law offered to buy a cake and I didn’t think twice. My three year old loved her princess cake. In fact, she loved it so much that she had another one for her fourth birthday. That was followed by a super cute gumball machine cupcake cake and then, most recently, by a butterfly cupcake cake. My other two children have never had anything but store bought cakes.
Now, it isn’t that I don’t bake with my kids. We bake quite often. We make chocolate chip cookies, brownies, muffins, and bread from scratch. Over holidays, I let them loose with cookie cutters, frosting, and sprinkles. Occasionally, we even bake cupcakes. So, why do I say I’m not a cupcake mom?
Just the other day, a friend commented, “Since when is making cute cupcakes a requirement for being a mom?” I just laughed because I knew what she meant. That seems to be the message. Cupcake cookbooks and bakeries seem to be everywhere. On top of that, your kids come home and tell you that so and so’s mom sent cupcakes to school and they look just like such and such. Then, you notice that same mom has posted a picture on facebook of her wonderful creation. What’s a store-buying- cake mama to do? Nothing. That’s right, nothing. Well, except for maybe befriending a couple of awesome cake decorator friends. You never know when one might offer to make your kiddos’ birthday cake or take over your snack duty.
Cupcakes are just another reminder that, as moms, we all have different likes and strengths. As Mother’s Day approaches, be sure to celebrate other moms’ successes and don’t forget to celebrate your own. You just might not be able to celebrate with a homemade cupcake and that’s okay!