Howdy!

Welcome to Juice Box Junction, where the juice spills and the cookies crumble. But, not to worry, my friends, it 'ain't nothin' but a thang.' I'm a single (divorced) mother of two and have one of each. My daughter is the oldest, nine going on 16 (isn't there a song about that?), and my son will be seven in three days...the countdown has begun!

Birthdays at our house are a week long affair. If the special day falls during the middle of the week, we do our little family thing, with a small cake, open gifts, then the actual big birthday bash is held during the following weekend. Sometimes other family members can't make an appearance for a few days, so they straggle in with their well-wishing, and the whole thing seems to drag on to the bitter end..."I repeat, it's not your birthday anymore...get over it!" Thank goodness my labor didn't last as long as the celebration...I would have sent them back!

I remember how I wanted their first birthdays to be so special. Not too much planning, just the expectation of the big gooey-goo-blob moment when they dove fists first into beautifully crafted baby cakes and frosting was flung to the chimney with care, and in their hair, not to mention the chair...

Too bad birthday planning isn't as easy as it was then...hmmm...maybe it could be...I'm certain my son would love to eat his cake and fling it, too...