Sunday Sweets: James' Sweet Safari
April 26, 2009 You Wrecks history buffs know that my friend Abby was the one who first e-mailed me the "cake that started it all", thereby indirectly inspiring this entire blog. Abby is also the mother of Sweet Baby James, who spent 482 days spreading joy on this globe before leaving us last August. Since today would have been James' 2nd birthday, Abby asked me if she might share his first and only birthday cake here on Sunday Sweets. Knowing how awesome you guys are, I figured you'd be willing to indulge us. So, without further ado, here's Abby.
Here's the spread:
As you can see we chose an African safari theme, to match James' nursery. Our friend started working on the design over a month in advance, sending us photos of her progress along the way. The animals were painstakingly crafted out of chocolate and were very fragile, but completely yummy. Each one had a perfect smile!
]The cakes were covered with buttercream frosting - no fondant - and each was a different flavor and filling. The baker's husband custom built and painted the matching cake stand, and they even found a matching "first birthday" photo frame to sit inside it. What a dream for our son's big day!
Then there were chocolate cupcakes with more animal designs to cover us if we had more people than we estimated. These were a big hit with the children when we took the leftover cake to the Ronald McDonald House the next day!
Everyone agreed that James couldn't have had a more perfect birthday cake. As it turns out, he would never need another one, so we are very thankful for this labor of love. And in case any of you were thinking of contacting my friend to order your own professional masterpiece, I have to disappoint you. A month after James' party, she moved on from cake decorating and launched a humor blog for a somewhat larger audience—but it couldn't be a more grateful one than us.
UPDATE: Abby and her hubby John are indeed reading all of your comments! She asked that I post this word of thanks on their behalf:
Reader Comments (303)
Thanks for sharing this sweet, sweet story. This is the best Sunday Sweets yet. I read your blog all the time, but this is the first time I have commented.
It's a wonderful cake and story.
That was a beautiful and wonderful gift you gave this family that they will remember their whole lives.
Bless You!!
Amy
JEN----you are trying to be modest....because YOU are the one who made the cakes and cupcakes!
They are so cute, and I'm so glad your friends had a great 1 year birthday for their boy. Sweet baby James really did a lot of good for people while he was here on earth (I just got back from reading his life-blog)
Beautiful story. He was a beautiful boy.
@Jennifer: the strap on James' head was a special hearing aid. It conducts sound with low-level vibrations, I believe.
And thank you all for the lovely comments! Your words matter to James' parents & family & friends, so thank you for taking the time to write them.
Abby, your baby James is so sweet indeed - great big blue eyes and a smile to melt your heart. Thank you for sharing. ~S
beautiful cake
beautiful boy
thanks so much for sharing both for us to see and love, too
That's the sweetest Sunday I've ever seen. Thanks.
What a lovely tribute and a lovely friendship!
Wow. Just, wow. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful story (and the beautiful cake!) with all of us. I have a feeling I won't ever think the same way about "just a cake" again.
I've got something in my eye... *sniff*
What a beautiful story and a beautiful boy! This post brought tears to me eyes and made me hug my family in honor of James.
What a wonderful tribute to such a special life. (Very pretty cake, too, but you'll forgive me if Baby James is seen as the star.)
Thanks for the post. <3
Thanks for making me cry like a b**** 20 minutes before my birthday party!
The cake is beautiful, and the story is as well.
Sweetest. Sweet. Ever.
I'm truly touched (and bawling my eyes out) by the story and the beautiful tribute to this gorgeous child. How blessed he was in his short days to be surrounded by so much love. What a loss to this earth to be without his shining eyes any longer, but what a change he's made to everyone who has been touched by his story in such a short time here.
Blessings to his family.
I think everything I'd want to say has been said, but I'll just say this was a wonderful Sunday Sweet--sweet (if sad) story, beautiful, well-crafted cake, and love all around.
Magnificent - both the cakes and the tribute. Thank you.
Beautiful post and such a sweet cake!
Abby, it is a fantastic privilege to be able to share this story. Jen, you are an amazing friend! Thank you both!
I've cried before reading this blog, but from laughter. Right now I'm crying because that was such a touching story. I'm so sorry for your loss, but I'm happy you were able to share it with us.
Readers, please don't misinterpret the typo error in the signoff for my comment posted at 11:24 AM.
Grandpa and GrandMA
what a sweet story, thank you for sharing. your little angel is truly beautiful, and a sweet gift from god. thank you again for sharing, this was a sweet inspirational post. god bless you.
Thank you for posting this! The cake is as beautiful as the life it celebrated - Truly a Sunday Sweet!
M
God bless you, your family and your friends as you remember Sweet Baby James. May his memory forever warm your heart as it has warmed mine this morning with just this glimpse into your life.
Thank you for sharing this.
**hugs**
He has the most beautiful eyelashes.
That was a very beautiful story. God bless the little guy...so cute. Happy Birthday James!
Barbara
This made me cry! But it was really sweet!
I love the tribute. The backstory brings tears to my eyes. I'm happy that he lived a happy life, though it was short.
I hope your friend is Okay.
Katy
Jumpinhamu
What a lovely and sad story. Thank you both for sharing it and little James with us. I'm so sorry for your loss, and happy for the joy you had with him. Just perfect cakes, by the way.
Lori
Such a cute little kid. And the cake is wonderful. You are truly blessed.
THank you for sharing the memory with me. I too had a premee, but mine is now 29.
My thoughts are with you and your beautiful boy on his day.
How lucky for me that I just a few days ago began following Jen on Twitter and found my way to this story. Beautifully done--both the story and the cakes.
The friendship and support between Jen and Abby is as beautiful as James.
I'm the caretaker of my brother, who has multiple disabilities, and I know I wouldn't be able to do it without the support of my friends. With love, there is nothing we can't face.
-eric
Gorgeous cake for an amazing little boy!
I am so sorry for your loss Abby.
I started reading this blog just around the time Baby James left us and it was on that post that I left my first comment because I felt so incredibly sad.
Abby, my heart goes out to you. I bet you're an amazing mom and Baby James will always live on through you and the memory of him that you keep alive.
Wonderful Sunday Sweets. I'm in tears now.
I think of James every day, and how all of a sudden he went from a baby to an adorable little kid.
What I can't wait to see will be the cake for Abby and John's new baby boy who is on his way! Will you please go update your blog???!!!! How are things going?
Ha! When my son had his first cupcake, he looked at it with disdain and tossed it over his shoulder! That photo is priceless!
Thank you for the story about James. After I found your blog, I started reading James' blog as well. I feel like I know Abby, John, and James even though I will likely never have the pleasure of meeting this wonderful family.
One year ago today, my husband and I were married and I officially had the best day of my life. When I checked your blog this morning and followed the link to read about Sweet Baby James and his awesome journey, it brought tears to my eyes to realize that on the same day, little James and his family were celebrating his first and only birthday. Thanks for this tribute, and Abby, if you're reading, thank you for sharing this beautiful story!
Thanks for sharing this story. My heart goes out to the family for their loss. This beautiful boy deserved his beautiful cake.
That read like a true Steve Harvey's "The Rest of the Story". Really amazing and touching story.
Thank you for sharing this story. Abby, may your family find comfort and peace in the memories you cherish.
This is for James' Mom and Dad, and all of his family:
I do not remember when, how, or why I happened upon Sweet Baby James' story. It doesn't matter.
I read through the whole of it hoping for a miracle, in spite of everything.
Well, there WAS a miracle, because there was James.
Someone with a smile like that- just for you- what else but a miracle.
James lived love, in its purest essence. Only love like that can be felt simply from reading a story about someone you never knew.
Crying hurts, but look up--baby angels don't cry. They laugh.
Happy Birthday, James.
Wow, great cake and such a neat story of how it came to be!
Darnit, Jen, Cake Wrecks isn't supposed to make me cry!!!!
Beautiful cake, and a sweet tribute to a dear little boy.
Happy Birthday, James! I'll bet your heavenly cake will be hard-pressed to match your Safari one!
He's so precious! His adorable face is the face of angel. Yet his story is so sad...made me tear up... But still best Sunday Sweets yet
Beautiful cake Jen. I read James' blog and it brought me to tears. My youngest spent 6 weeks in that same NICU - that is a life-changing experience in itself. Such a beautiful baby boy and a wonderful tribute to him today.
That's such a sad story ! I'm tearing up here.
This made me cry for the first time in years. So sad, but wonderful of you to celebrate this child's life.
Beautiful cake and a wonderful tribute to James. Thanks for sharing.