All Aboard the Happy Birthday Cainan Bus

First Cainan (born 6/11/2003) had asked for a train cake, then at the last minute changed his mind and asked for a "bus cake."  I started off with the chocolate sheet cake from Cook's Illustrated, then added the components with a slab of genoise I tend to have in the refrigerator for just such cake-itechtural emergencies.  A big batch of buttercream, with some challenging mixing moments, became school bus-, window-, tire-, sun-, stop sign-, grass- and asphalt-colored, per above.

Here's Cainan blowing out his big numeral "3" candle.  He didn't get the concept of wax and attempted to eat the candle before we stopped him, explaining that wax was, in fact, yucky.

This is Mr. C doing his birthday boogie. Yes, he's wearing a dress.

Here's the very beautiful Nacha, my sister-in-love and mama-to-be...one of three women at the party who were all five month's pregnant!

And here's Laura (say the Latina version, Laaaurrrra) another of the three preg-o mamas, former nanny of Cainan, and also bisexual activist I met in the trenches many years ago.  She and I actually went on the Jane Whitney show about 13 years ago as polyamorous bisexuals.  Now she's a midwife and recently returned from Peru, where she was born, to settle in and have a babe of her own.

Chris, our former housemate, "cranberry monster" buddy to Cainan.  An overheard dialogue between Laura and Chris went something like this:
Laura: So you sell perfume?  What does that entail?
Chris: Mostly just stand around and look pretty.
Laura (pregnant pause): I imagine that must be very difficult for you.
The very pretty Chris, I just learned today, has quit perfume, is kicking baristahood, and indeed the whole Bay Area, to the curb to return to LA to go to cooking school!  Yay, Chris, though we'll miss the big CMonster...waaahhhh.

Heartbreakingly cute little Finn (short for Finian), daughter of preg-o mama #3, Fred, pictured below.

Cainan, singing himself a birthday serenade?  To his left, Fred, mama of Finn, and Felicia, mama of Kayman.  Me n Storm n Bit-o on the right in the background (click to enlarge and see the entire cast).

Bit-o, chowin' down on the bus cake.
Storm, still finger-lickin' good, with any icing.
Being a matzoh queen is one thing, Storm, but growing a menorah halo is a 'ho nother.
Dean, Laura's partner, Cainan, Dada (Alex, Cainan's "donor"), and Laura.

Some o' Mr. C's birthday gang. Note the train tracks in the center of the room.

See you all next year!

Comments

[stormaldo]

that was right before i laid an egg from my mouth.