It seems they only came when she was asleep leaving behind a mess of wrapping paper and crumbs from an eaten cake. Zooey was so excited about her birthday! She would say for weeks, “My birthday is coming up soon!” When it finally arrived she wanted to know, “Is my birthday down now?” Well, her birthday was on a Tuesday and her party not until Saturday. So…Zooey’s birthday and the “birthday monsters” stayed DOWN for about a week!

Who are the monsters? In Sandra Boynton’s book, they come make a giant whirlwind of a mess, leave with the presents and cake, then come back to clean up. I think the “birthday monsters” are real! They could be a number of things: a wild birthday girl, grandparents spoiling your child, you spending too much money on a birthday party…Poor pathetic parents (myself included)! Always cleaning and working so hard to make time with their child special, meaningful, and unforgettable.

Kids just want to feel special with the simple things. My 2nd graders want to share cupcakes with their class and have “Happy Birthday” sung to them! My three year old wants cupcakes too, but more important are balloons and lollipops! I think children don’t care as long as they’re having fun with their friends and Mom and Dad are smiling with them. Simplicity with a heaping cup of thoughtfulness is the best, always!

I remember my birthday parties; they were homey parties with a splash of extra love and care my Mom always threw in. I like home! I like to bake my own cupcakes, do my own planning, and try to make it about family and friends celebrating my child’s special day. Like Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz, there’s no place like home! This is true for birthdays but also the holidays. Think about the memories you have of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, The Fourth of July…!

It’s all about the food, right! The kitchen provides the ambience: good smells coming from the oven, music and laughter in the background, good conversations with family and friends, a nice cup of something. That’s contentment! I remember being in the kitchen with my mom baking vanilla cupcakes, I’m sure that is what heaven will smell like! Whenever I smell cupcakes, memories of Mom’s kitchen come into my mind. I hope I can do that for my children.

Cooking is one of the very best ways I can think of to show my love for my family and friends. I love to see my daughter and son’s round tummy pooching out! I know it is full of love and I am content knowing I made what went into that adorable pooch! As cheesy as it may sound I think the secret ingredient that makes anything taste divine is love.

The “birthday monsters” come and go, but what lasts are the memories. When Zooey asks me with a giant smile, “Mommy, do I smell cupcakes?” I know I’ve made her happy with a simple birthday pleasure and she will remember the smell! Smells have a way of getting stuck in your memory. You know what I’m talking about! Now, go make something yummy and feed your child’s belly with love. And if Daddy eats the leftovers you can call him a “birthday monster”!

Birthday Monster Cupcakes
2 C cake flour
2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
½ C whole milk
2 t vanilla
1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ C sugar
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Using a stand mixer, beat butter with the paddle on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Drizzle in eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients a little at a time alternating with milk and vanilla. Beat just until combined. Pour batter into lined muffin tins using an ice cream scoop. Bake 18-20 minutes.

Cream cheese frosting
1 stick softened unsalted butter
8 oz pkg. softened cream cheese.
4 C powdered sugar
1T vanilla

Mix butter and cream cheese together and gradually add powdered sugar beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in 1T vanilla. After frosting cupcakes, sprinkle with coconut. (At Christmas we freeze the cupcakes then roll in coconut and call them snowballs).