Traditions

Every family has their own special traditions that they follow for certain things: some families always get together during specific holidays. Maybe a special food item is always made. Maybe everyone wears a color coordinating sweater.
 For my household, we follow a special tradition for the boys birthdays, that started when we moved down to NC. We always have a blue frosting cake from Harris Teeter, because it dyes everything it touches blue, including when it comes back out. Yes, people, I'm talking poop.

 I realize how weird this sounds. I blame my friends for this tradition. When we celebrated Ashe's first birthday here, we had no clue about the blue frosting and it's long lasting hold. I was naive when I purchased giant blue frosted cupcakes to serve at his little party. It wasn't until every child in my dining room was being wiped down with zero results on fixing the smurf like faces, and the massively blue diapers that followed for days after, that I realized this blue frosting was serious shit. No pun intended.

It became a joke amongst my friends who were there at that first party. Anytime my boys had a birthday coming up, they would ask if I'd have the radio active frosting cake. And just to lovingly tweak their noses, I made sure I did. And soon it became the tradition we follow for every birthday party.

Soren's birthday party this past weekend followed tradition. We had not one, but two cakes this week with the freaky frosting: one for his actual birthday and the other for the party. The boys fingers are still blue. Most of the same friends from Ashe's first party came with their kids, baby wipe packages in hand and ready for action, laughing all the while.

While it was still cool in the morning hours, the kids played outside with bubbles, balls, hula hoops. and baseball bats. The parents drank soda, talked about gaming, Dragon Con, and stats. Yes, many of my friends are gamers too. And then we sang happy birthday to Soren, and I cut the cake. I also, still have blue fingers.

Traditions come in many shapes and sizes. Some you don't even expect to create. They happen on their own, and have a way of becoming a part of who your family is.  While we don't wear color coordinated sweaters (And please shoot me if we ever do.... no offense to those of you who may call that your own) our own traditions mean something to us. They make us laugh, and remember special times in our lives that are meant to be celebrated.

Harris Teeter, don't ever stop making that radio active blue frosting. And thanks for helping us make a cool tradition to follow for each birthday.