When Lizzie was four years old, we had a birthday party for her at the park across the street. There were four balloons for her being four years old, a few decorations including pink table cloths and there was cake.
She revealed in the attention and squealed when opening each present. But when it came time for birthday cake, she was filled with anticipation and excitement. Every year since they were old enough to ask, Grandma bought a cake from Publix decorated according to their request. That year was a “Flower” cupcake cake. Candles were placed, then lit and all gathered to sing Happy Birthday.
Lizzie started to giggle. She was so excited. She kept putting her hands on her face and continued to giggle.
I remember taking the video and thinking that she was the happiest person in the whole world. I also remember hoping she would always be this excited over her birthday cake.
This most recent birthday Lizzie turned 9 and it was going to be celebrated in three stages. The weekend before her birthday I took her and her siblings to the beach.
The next weekend we went to Grandma’s house.
Later we would celebrate with her Bubbe, Papa Mike and Aunt Michelle.
Saturday night at Grandma’s was cake night. This year, instead of a cartoon character cake, Lizzie got a ‘grown up’ cake. A chocolate ‘spider cake’ from an Ocala bakery called Betty Cakes. The cake is called ‘spider’ cake because it is covered in chocolate ganache and it runs down the side of the cake to look like spider legs. The cake had pink flowers on it and “Happy Birthday Lizzie” written in pink icing. You can click here to find Betty Cakes.
Once again the cake was taken out of the cake box, candles placed and lit and we began to sing ‘Happy Birthday.’
Immediately, I was taken back to her 5th birthday. Lizzie stared giggling with joy. Her eyes darted around the room watching everybody sing and then back to her cake with her hands on her face.
There was no other way to describe it except that she was overcome with pure joy. We cut and ate the cake and then took a few minutes to open presents. There were only two presents this year and they were clothes, but she didn’t care, we were celebrating her.
I pray that over the years, she finds this much joy in every birthday and that the combination of cake and the ‘Happy Birthday’ song make her the happiest girl in the world.