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)
The cakes are amazing! James looks very happy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Very sweet indeed. This has brought a very good, much needed cry.
What a beautiful boy and story. God blesses us all in so many different ways- and little James was an extra special one!
Lynda
Abby, thank you for sharing this very touching story with us. Your son is truly an angel, and what a blessing that you had the opportunity to celebrate his first year with a beautiful cake.
I'm sitting here at work with tears in my eyes. (and now one just rolled out and down my cheek)
He lived a big life for such a little guy. Happy birthday James.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. What a sweet little boy.
wow! That had me in tears! The cake was beautiful and so was sweet baby James! Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful tribute!
That's the sweetest thing! Your son is beautiful, and the cake couldn't have turned out better!
What a beautiful cake and what a sweet little boy. I know he gave/gives you so much joy. I scanned your blog chronicling the life of this precious little one. Thanks for posting the link. I am the aunt of a special needs child with lissencephaly (smooth-brain syndrome) who lived for 12 years (and died Christmas season 2005). He brought/brings so much joy to my family too. These children are such blessings.
I'm sorry your friend didn't continue the cake decorating business. James's cake was beautiful.
I am in tears -- not just for such a beautiful little soul having to leave our world so early but for what is obviously a beautiful friendship.
Thank you so much for sharing, and Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby James.
My husband and I love your blog. I am sincerely touched this Sunday. Thank you for sharing this Sunday Sweet with us. What a sweet baby boy. I think today is a good day to play James Taylor all day in his honor.
Crissy
*cries*
This is the single greatest reason to love this blog... What a wonderful dedication to such a cute baby... TTuTT
This just made me misty. What a beautiful story to share (the cakes are nice, too).
I have recently starting making wedding and birthday cakes as a side hobby. I love it and despite the painstaking hours involved, I hold on to the idea that a beautiful cake is often more than a peice of caketo those receiving it. This story was incredibly touching. I don't think I'll ever make a cake again without thinking of sweet baby James.
I remember checking out James's blog when you posted that he had passed away. I loved reading and seeing how much his family loved him. Thanks for letting his mom tell this story!!
What a beautiful gift--the lovingly made cake, and precious time with that sweet, sweet boy. I'm tearing up over here.
Oh just great, now I have started out my day crying! lol What a wonderful story and a true inspiration to those that read it. What a precious child of God.
Jen you are amazing! I am glad you decided to start the blog, but the world is truly missing out on a fantastic cake decorator! Awesome job on that cake!
Oh goodness, I'm crying now. What a beautiful cake and what a precious little boy. Prayers are going out for your family.
What a beautiful wonderful cake and an even more wonderful story. Thank you so much for sharing their story. My thoughts and prayers are with you all today. Blessings.
Just when I'm feeling woe-is-me, I get something like this to put it all in perspective. Thanks! :o]
Also, I whole heartedly agree with a previous commenter, that stories like this make me want to value each moment: cake for breakfast!
Happy Birthday, James.
Baby James was obviously an Angel that HE could not live without him any longer... such a sweet soul, to be called up so early in life.
Thank you for sharing this with all of us. Who knew peeking at a cake blog could touch our hearts so profoundly?
God Bless.
How sweet and sad. I'm so glad that beautiful little boy got a masterpiece of a cake for his one and only birthday.
Oh my gosh, that face of his...so cute, no wonder they called him Sweet Baby James! And the cakes were absolutely awesome!
This was lovely, but I shouldn't have read it at work. By then end, I couldn't hold back the tears, so I was doing little hickup breaths to try and not sob.
My nephew also spent most of his first year in the hospital NICU. He still has many challenges and special needs, but every day he gets stronger. Because he can't eat a cake, we had never made one.
This year, he is GETTING a cake.
Thank you for reminding me to never take anyone for granted, and that it all life is an amazing gift, no matter how long or short.
Happy Birthday in heaven Sweet Baby James and congratulations on one of the most perfect cakes I´ve ever seen Jen.
I love the fact that it took allll the way to abi for people to catch that Jen made the cakes You've been holding out on us!
Those are beautiful, and you totally made me cry. What an awesome tribute.
I'm in tears now, but they're the kind that come from reading a truly moving tribute. James' birthday cakes were gorgeous and I'm sure he is grateful to have had such a loving family and friends to honor him so much. *hugs* to Abby and Jen for sharing their memories of someone so special with us.
*tear* the first cakewreck blog to make me cry and not out of laughter. bless his baby heart!
ashley
Like so many of SweetBabyJames' family and friends, on his birthday we are joyfully and tearfully remembering his too-short time with us on Earth. We were blessed by his presence, and continue to be amazed and uplifted by the love and support from so many people who have shared their comments. Thank you all.
Grandpa and Grandpa Warren in Tallahassee
Every morning I come on here to look at whatever might cause me laugh throughout the day and today I cant stop crying. This was is a great post but so heartbreaking. He looked so happy and that only made me cry more.
Jessika
I've been reading this blog for a long time and read all about Sweet Baby James when he passed. And I never post, but I wanted to comment on what a loving tribute this was. We can see what a labor of love you put into making those cakes for that sweet, sweet boy. Thank you for sharing on what would have been James' 2nd birthday. His story is an inspiration. (and I'm totally in tears...)
What a beautiful post. How precious life is. Thank you so much for sharing this.
I came across James' blog right after my great-niece was born and diagnosed with semi-lobar HPE. These sweet babies are absolute angels. What a wonderful tribute to James and the happiness & love he brought into the world.
What a beautiful little boy. Rest well, sweet baby James.
The cake was perfect--he certainly deserved the best, I am sure.
crying.
(o)
What a handsome guy James is! And that smile, and those huge blue-blue eyes you could just fall into. He's a person I wish I could have gotten to know. But even though he's gone, he's still made *my* life a little better by knowing about him. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this with all of us.
So, a sad happy birthday to Sweet Baby James.
This was such a bitter sweet post. I actually have tears in my eyes.
Beautiful!
Beautiful Cake
Beautiful Story
Beautiful Baby
Sorry that he had to leave you so soon, but I am glad that you were able to create such a beautiful memory to keep.
Thank you for sharing.
Happy Heavenly Birthday, sweet baby James! I'm glad "Auntie" Jen made you such a nice cake! God bless your parents and loved ones on this special day.
-Julie
What a sweet little boy. By far the best Sweets for Sunday.
Jen, your cakes were beautiful! And I have to say, that is the sweetest "Sunday Sweets" I've seen so far. Thank you, Abby, for sharing your precious boy with us. Happy Birthday, James :)
My kids are also a bit too big for these sets, but I have a new nephew or niece on the way later this year and I think the Zebra design is adorable. I like that it works for both boys and girls.
Abby,
This may sound funny, but I'm well known among my friends as "not a fan of children," but even *I* find James absolutely adorable and beautiful! That last picture shows a boy with so much spirit in his eyes - you can see how very much he was loved.
I am SO very sorry his time with you was so short, but it sounds like you made the most of the time you had with him - both for yourself and, more importantly, for him.
Oh, and the cakes are adorable, too :)
Thank you for sharing that with us, I don't know if you have or want any other children, but if you do, you can be sure some of James' spirit will carry over to them - and if not, you'll always have it in your heart, eh?
Blessings,
Kriselda
That was so beautiful (Cake and the beautiful baby)
What a sweet tribute, and it was so sad.... I almost cried
xoxo
My best friend, also named Abby, lost her first set of twins (this was her first pregnancy) when they were born prematurely. My heart goes out to your Abby and her family. God will surely bless her for being the loving person she is. The cakes and cupcakes looked wonderful, I am sure everyone enjoyed them very much.
Such a WONDERFUL Cake and a touching tribute. So perfect.
and very very sweet.
Sweet Baby James' story reminds us to take joy when we can, as life can deal us some cruel blows. Thank you for sharing.