When our little girls were babies, and then toddlers, it used to get under my skin when other parents would go on and on about how their boy babies were so much more challenging and rambunctious than girl babies. I mean, come on. They're babies! They're on a level playing field! Our girls caused us just as much grief and joy and anxiety as I could imagine any baby boy causing his parents.
But now that our girls are getting bigger, starting school, and developing their own opinions and preferences, I am watching the boy-girl gap grow. For as much as I have tried not to encourage princess-mania over the past couple of years, as any parent knows, it eventually becomes bigger than you.
Our girls are now pushing 3 and 5, and Frozen Fever has completely overtaken our house. So much so that Stacey IS Elsa, Clara IS Anna, Andrew IS Olaf, and on a good day, I'm the queen (you know, the one who meets her demise in the stormy sea). Usually though, I'm the lucky one who gets to play Sven.
And I have to admit, rather than discouraging it this time around, I may have actually become an enabler, contributing my family's fair share to the Disney money-making machine. As I'm sure most of you guys do too, I know all the lyrics by heart, and I have no problem busting out Love is an Open Door while in line at the grocery store or Starbucks to keep the girls entertained.
Anyway, the reason I mention this is because a friend's son turned 4 this weekend, and she requested cupcakes. And not just any cupcakes.
Snake cupcakes.
The kind of cupcakes that would never even be whispered of, or even imagined, amongst my girls and their girlfriends.
Sure, I know there are girls out there who are fascinated by snakes just as much as the next kid. My family even owned an 8-foot-long boa constrictor when I was a tween, that I named Fred and totally enjoyed playing with (if that's what you call hanging out with a snake) until my mom saw to it that Fred disappeared and was never mentioned in our house again.
But based on the little girls I know these days, snake cupcakes are the last thing they would ever want.
So it was exciting for me to reach out of my comfort zone for this project! I suggested green fondant snakes slithering on top of your classic buttercream swirl.
But to be honest, I didn't reach quite as far out of my comfort zone as I might have. Rather than anatomically correct, scaly, dangerous-looking snakes, these snakes have gentler souls. They seem quite happy to be perched atop a fluffy, sweet cupcake.
And the eyes have it! It's amazing the difference a food coloring marker can have. Here they are with little candy pearls for eyes, but no pupils yet:
But now that our girls are getting bigger, starting school, and developing their own opinions and preferences, I am watching the boy-girl gap grow. For as much as I have tried not to encourage princess-mania over the past couple of years, as any parent knows, it eventually becomes bigger than you.
Our girls are now pushing 3 and 5, and Frozen Fever has completely overtaken our house. So much so that Stacey IS Elsa, Clara IS Anna, Andrew IS Olaf, and on a good day, I'm the queen (you know, the one who meets her demise in the stormy sea). Usually though, I'm the lucky one who gets to play Sven.
And I have to admit, rather than discouraging it this time around, I may have actually become an enabler, contributing my family's fair share to the Disney money-making machine. As I'm sure most of you guys do too, I know all the lyrics by heart, and I have no problem busting out Love is an Open Door while in line at the grocery store or Starbucks to keep the girls entertained.
Anyway, the reason I mention this is because a friend's son turned 4 this weekend, and she requested cupcakes. And not just any cupcakes.
Snake cupcakes.
The kind of cupcakes that would never even be whispered of, or even imagined, amongst my girls and their girlfriends.
Sure, I know there are girls out there who are fascinated by snakes just as much as the next kid. My family even owned an 8-foot-long boa constrictor when I was a tween, that I named Fred and totally enjoyed playing with (if that's what you call hanging out with a snake) until my mom saw to it that Fred disappeared and was never mentioned in our house again.
But based on the little girls I know these days, snake cupcakes are the last thing they would ever want.
So it was exciting for me to reach out of my comfort zone for this project! I suggested green fondant snakes slithering on top of your classic buttercream swirl.
But to be honest, I didn't reach quite as far out of my comfort zone as I might have. Rather than anatomically correct, scaly, dangerous-looking snakes, these snakes have gentler souls. They seem quite happy to be perched atop a fluffy, sweet cupcake.
And the eyes have it! It's amazing the difference a food coloring marker can have. Here they are with little candy pearls for eyes, but no pupils yet:
Creepy, huh? I would not like to run into these guys in the jungle.
That's better. These cute little guys wouldn't hurt a fly!
And here they are, all finished off with a bit of interest added to their bodies:
And here they are, all finished off with a bit of interest added to their bodies:
Happy 4th birthday, Coen!
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