Creative autonomy

Starting with their second birthdays, I make my kids a creative birthday cake (see the cake that started it all here).  It's fun, but it's also time-consuming and stress-inducing. In the early years, it helps that I can really decide what I want to make (based on their interests of course, but I can keep it limited to something that won't drive me crazy).  Last year when Danton was about to turn five, however, he started making more specific requests about what he wanted his cake to be.  And it was getting more complicated.  So, in one of the best parenting decisions I may have made, I handed the creative reins over to him for his fifth birthday cake.  I was so happy to do so again for birthday #6.

Introducing Danton's Superhero birthday cake.  Thanks to Mere for help with the tidy base layer frosting.  The crazy cake-top scene is all Danton's direction though.  The crazier it became, the happier he was.