I thought my days of baking cupcakes to take to creche, kinder or school to celebrate a birthday were over. It appears not. Despite all the talk about eating healthily, food allergies and cutting out the rubbish my then soon to be 10 year old declared that last year, when she turned 9, she was the only kid in the class who didn't bring cakes or lollies.
How could I live it down if I was the only mother who didn't make an effort.
I dismissed this feeling of guilt but all too soon this lapsed Catholic, Virgo perfectionist in me rolled over.
Three dozen cupcakes coming up.
Pretty soon my big girl would be too old for such things. I am always complaining about them growing up too early, why not keep them young and feeling extra special for just that little bit longer?
I knew it would be a pain. On the Tuesday night after work I baked three dozen of the little blighters. Then I had a brain wave. She had been doing a subject about sustainability in which she had to pick an endangered species. She chose the Growling Grass Frog. The poor little thing seems to come under fire every time there is a major construction project. I suggested we turn the cupcakes into frogs. Gee I am a victim. So, there I was at close to midnight putting a sickly green frosting on the cakes andpositioning little white marshmallow and choc bits for eyes. Then you have to make a little slit for the mouth and position a pink Smartie for the tongue.
In the morning we made little signs, sticky taped them to toothpicks and put them into some cakes. The signs read "Save the Growling Grass Frog" "Don't let us croak" "Hop to it" and similar messages. They looked higgledy piggedly but Miss 10 was so excited. Me, well, I was thinking never again ... until the next time.
