I’m back to writing about joy. I tried writing about acts of kindness…kindness is a good thing to be mindful of and a very good thing to do, but I have found it is not such a great thing to write about. I prefer the inspiration that finding joy in daily life brings to my writing.
This is not an excuse to stop being kind to one another, folks – let’s keep it up!
“Smash cake”. Have you ever heard of such a thing? If you have friends with young children, or if, like me, you have friends who are grandparents, you have heard of this thing. It wasn’t until my Perfect Baby grandson, Jameson, turned one year old that I found out about this new joyful tradition.
I am often kind of skeptical, OK, judgmental of the way the “younger generation” has taken celebrations over the top. Yes, I have become that middle-aged lady who says, “Back in my day…. we had a simple baby shower with gifts and cake, and NO ONE registered for gifts … we had a groom’s dinner that included the wedding party, not half the wedding guests … we never, I mean ever, rented a limousine to take kids to high school graduation.” See? Judgmental, and maybe even a little crabby.
So, here is what the young’uns do these days for their child’s first birthday. They throw a party. For everyone. All the family members and all the adult friends who bring along their own family members (kids) are invited. There are cupcakes and snacks and pop, and lots and lots of decorations. And while I can say that “back in my day” we really just wished our kid a happy birthday, gave them a bite of cake and sent them off to bed, I have to admit this is a nice new tradition. Especially when you have a Perfect Baby like Jameson who LOVES everybody, smiles at everybody, and is willing to let anyone and everyone take a turn holding him.
One of the core events of this modern celebration for the one-year-old is a “smash cake”. This is a small cake baked and frosted especially for the baby of the hour. As the ritual begins, the child is disrobed, and put into a high chair wearing only a diaper. Of course, Perfect Baby thought this was just fine, and smiled broadly at what might be coming next. Then the “smash cake” was placed on his tray. Jameson looked at it up and down, side to side, until he got the idea that he was supposed to put his hand on the cake. And anything that goes in his hand – in this case, chocolate frosting – will go into his mouth. At which point he learns the true delight of anything that has sugar and butter and chocolate, or any combination of thereof. We, the audience, oohed and aahed, and clapped and laughed and encouraged Perfect Baby as he proceeded to attack the cake with aplomb. Thus, the concept of “smash cake”. It is quite the spectacle. And, as the young’uns are wont to do, and doesn’t this grandma join right in, the phones come out and we take picture after picture of the happy boy.
Perfect Baby is then swept away, put into a sink with soapy water, and returned to his original state of dress so he may rejoin and charm the birthday party.
So, this week’s joy is a smash cake. And a Perfect Baby turning one year old.
