Sunday, February 1, 2009

It's Another Half Birthday!

We celebrate half birthdays around here. My mom always celebrated ours when we were kids, and I've continued the tradition. My husband thinks I'm nuts and that I'm making up half birthdays, but that's ok -- we don't have to celebrate his! I remember taking cupcakes to school on my half birthday and other kids doing the same, so someone else must know about this.

For us, the rules of the half birthday are that there are no presents (and my parents broke that one this year, of course), but that the half birthday child gets to choose what we eat for dinner and what kind of cupcakes he or she wants. Yep, cupcakes. Cakes are for birthdays, and cupcakes are for half birthdays. It's our thing.

Today is Little Miss's half birthday. I can't believe she's three and a half already! And sometimes it feels like three and a half going on fifteen and a half.



For dinner, she insisted on her non-dairy cheese pizza. I found vegan cheese recently at the natural foods store, having discovered that soy cheese actually contains milk proteins (umm, hello people!). It's not exactly cheap, but I make homemade pizzas -- crust and sauce included -- for my family at least once a month. Poor Little Miss missed her pizza.

I tried to convince her that I should make something else -- pancakes, homemade chicken tenders, French toast, crock pot pork. Nope. I had made the pizza on Thursday night, and there was NO way I was going to talk her out of having her special pizza again. So pizza it was again.



I made three pizzas. There were six of us. I had one piece. Yep, one single solitary lonely piece. The wee ones each ate over three quarters of a pizza themselves. You'd think I hadn't fed them in a week. Nope, it must be that I'm such a good cook (ha!). Fortunately, I'm able to scrounge for myself fairly well.



I also found a recipe for dairy free banana cupcakes and managed to talk Little Miss into wanting banana cupcakes for her birthday (sucker!). I was a little worried about how they'd turn out, so I tossed in some cinnamon "just in case." They actually turned out pretty well. Mister Man ate three small ones, my dad and husband each ate two and a half of the big ones, and I enjoyed my cupcake, as well.



Little Miss licked the frosting off her cupcake, nibbled once at the top of her cupcake and announced that she didn't like it. Great. These were the cupcakes I had baked that I was planning to freeze so she could have some cake to take to birthday parties instead of having to skip out on the treats there. At least I got a test run in. I guess someone will just have to eat these cupcakes. And I'll have to do more baking. I hate it when that happens....

And yes, my parents totally ignored the no presents rule. Remember that dollhouse we finally opened up on Thursday? Well, it now has a "functioning" kitchen with all the appropriate appliances. That make noises. Wheeee! There would have been more, but the kitchen was the only piece from the set that Toys 'R Us had when my mom went there. Bummer!



Do you like the decorations we used for the cupcakes? They're from the Superheroes Matching Game that Mister Man got for Christmas. The wee ones absolutely love playing the game and even better is playing superheroes with the figures. Gotta love the games that have multiple uses, right? Little Miss was insistent that she wanted Spiderman on her cupcakes to decorate them, and I had the brilliant idea to use these guys. She was thrilled. Phew!

What other family traditions do you have? Do you celebrate half birthdays or anything like them?



PS I finally got the pics to upload. Yay!

19 comments:

Kori February 1, 2009 at 3:37 PM  

Sounds like Little Miss had a great half birthday.

Katie Lane February 1, 2009 at 4:28 PM  

This is a fun idea! But I think my kids will be spoiled enough without them. Good luck on your next batch of cupcakes.

Anonymous February 1, 2009 at 5:04 PM  

I have heard of hald birhtdays. My adult freind is the brithday girl the whole month of her birth. However, there are olnly gifts on her birthday. I like both.

Anonymous February 1, 2009 at 5:08 PM  

google zucchini bread gluten free, cup cakes with icing.

Angie's Spot February 1, 2009 at 6:30 PM  

I love this idea! We don't celebrate half birthdays mostly because I would get way too wrapped up in celebrating and then it would spiral out of control quickly. But this is adorable! I can't wait to see the pics.

Debbie February 1, 2009 at 8:33 PM  

Half-birthdays are a great idea and it sounds like the perfect time to get a little something for that dollhouse!

Cookie February 1, 2009 at 10:39 PM  

Wow! 3 1/2?!
How is the non-dairy diet going?

Suzanne C February 1, 2009 at 10:47 PM  

Post some pictures! What a great idea with the 1/2 b-days.

Michelle February 1, 2009 at 11:09 PM  

Kori - She did. She always loves when the focus is on her... and she loved being able to say it was her SPECIAL day.

Katie Lane - It is fun. And I so hear you on the spoiled thing. My parents buy them so much STUFF. And stuff they don't need. I am trying to keep them grounded with gifts of time and having them work for things, but it's a daily challenge!

Elftea - Ummm yeah. It's possible that we do birthday months in my house, too ;) Usually when it comes to my dad, Little Miss and my husband, whose birthdays all fall within four days. But we do try to play it out for the whole month for them. Oooo -- I LOVED zucchini bread growing up, I'm so there!

Angie - Pics are now up (finally got it working)! Since we keep it simple with just cupcakes and their dinner of choice, it isn't too bad. But I can see how it could quickly become all consuming!

Debbie - You sound just like my parents :) She did enjoy having the gift -- and Mister Man was so proud to help her open it and decide where the pieces went. I love seeing them interact like that!

Cookie - Yep. Hard to believe, isn't it? It's going. Pretty well, actually. Except for the candy Sunday School gave her today. Diarrhea when she woke up from her nap. I'm hoping it's gone now so she can go to school tomorrow. Knowing THEY gave her dairy now explains the diarrhea she had last Monday-Tuesday night and ear infection the nurse found when testing her vision and hearing on Friday. *sigh*

Sparcam - They're up now. For some reason, it errored out each time I tried before. The half birthdays are definitely fun (and yes, we skipped my husband! He doesn't believe in them).

Jennifer February 2, 2009 at 12:16 AM  

Happy half birthday little Miss!! :o) How cute!

Cheeky Kitchen February 2, 2009 at 12:34 AM  

Well, I am in love with hald-birthday celebrations! I think it just might have to become a tradition.

My favorite family tradition? Delivering a balloon and stuffed animal to my kids during school on Valentines day. They LOVE it! I did it one year randomly and they won't let me forget about it.

Though, this week (after spending hours watching TV commercials at grandma & grandpa's over Christmas) some of the little ones want a Snuggie. I'm thinking I might try to phenegle homemade ones out of fleece. It might just work!

(And THANKS for stopping by my blog last week! It was so lovely of you!)

bernthis February 2, 2009 at 1:01 AM  

What a coincidence. My daughter's half birthday is tomorrow and what a great idea. I love the cupcakes instead of cake. You have very cool parents.

mommytoalot February 2, 2009 at 5:53 AM  

What a neat idea..and the pizza looks delicious

Ronnica February 2, 2009 at 10:48 AM  

We never did half birthdays, and I never remember when mine is.

Michelle February 2, 2009 at 7:00 PM  

Jennifer - Thanks! We always have fun with it.

ConversationsWithACupcake - That's TOO funny that you mentioned a Snuggie. Some friends of mine and I were talking about it last night during the Super Bowl. And today at work someone brought it up, too. Weird! And I LOVE the balloon tradition. Way cool, Mom!

bernthis - Oh, have fun with it! I hope your daughter enjoys it. It's such a fun little treat.

mommytoalot - Thanks. The pizza is actually really easy to make, and pretty healthy since I know exactly what goes into everything and nothing is processed.

Ronnica - That's my husband. He had never heard of them before me... and he forgot that his was just the day before Little Miss's. Whoops!

Anonymous February 2, 2009 at 9:53 PM  

My oldest daughter was obsessed with her half birthday this year. I'm not sure why, as we don't really celebrate them. But she is determined to add half-birthdays as family holidays, specifically hers. I don't recall her remembering my half-b-day! LOL!

Michelle February 3, 2009 at 8:50 AM  

Gibby - Maybe it's something they do at school. I will say that I remember being really proud of being 6 1/2 and 7 3/4 and such. Fortunately though, I didn't make my mom celebrate quarter birthdays!

Anonymous February 3, 2009 at 10:14 AM  

This is the neatest idea EVAH!! Quick thinking on the Spiderman!

Michelle February 4, 2009 at 8:50 PM  

Melanie - Thanks. I can't say I'm original in thinking it up, but it works for us! And I loooove the cake decorations that can be reused.

  © Blogger template 'Solitude' by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP