It's late at night and I finally was able to make some buttercream roses for a cake I plan to bring to an event tomorrow night. I'm not expected to bring a cake, but I want to show off some of my new skills. I am taking Wilton II right now, and I'm starting to get that feeling like it's time to start practicing or I will never get better at piping.

Earlier tonight, I was so frustrated, I had to have a good cry. I had spent 2 hours trying to get my year and half old daughter to go to bed. I couldn't make any roses during the day because I don't have central air and my kitchen was 90 degrees F all day long. So I waited all day to make roses, and then my daughter had a difficult time settling down for bedtime. I think one of the worst moments was when I couldn't even soothe her with my usual things, and she was just walking around the room crying.

But it was all worthwhile because once she was asleep, I found the energy to make my roses and they turned out really good. I'm still not 100 percent sure about the new crisco, but my wilton instructor said that she heard from wilton that we should add 1 tablespoon of water to the class buttercream recipe. I tried that and it seemed to work pretty well. I might add slightly less next time because it was as if the frosting was on the verge of being a little too soft. Perhaps there is a very subtle difference, I am learning, between stiff and medium.

I was so frustrated earlier, though. Part of the problem, as far as why my daughter couldn't go to sleep is because of something stupid that happened around her bedtime. My husband called and when I mentioned that all her toys were on the floor in the front room, he asked me to pick them up. I told him that it would just get her all excited and then she probably wouldn't sleep. But he said it didn't matter because there just needs to be a routine so that the toys are picked up. (principle of the matter vs. the heart of the matter...guess which one wins?) To his credit, he offered to pick them up when he got home from work. But I felt stressed out and pressured. So I picked them up as fast as I could, and my daughter then got all excited like it was playtime.

Unbelievable! She just woke up again.

For those who have small kids and try to get anything FUN accomplished, anything for yourself because you enjoy it...I know you feel my pain!!!!

I do feel your pain, and I know the frustration. I have an 18 month old, one that will be 3 in October and an 8 year old. Someone is always under my feet, particularly in the kitchen!

Time to actually decorate a cake, put on my face, read a book...forget about it. I feel like I'm stealing time just looking at CC!

But I wouldn't trade them for anything. (However, if the two little ones want to lose the diapers, I'm all for it!)

Enjoy your event tomorrow! Would love to see picture of your roses.

I have a 6 month old and a 6 year old, I don't have a routine, but I make it clear that they can't take their time and mommy's time. I explain that I need to do some stuff that makes mommy happy and my oldest did compromise. It's very important to take some time for me and do things I love.I'm also going to school for pharmacy, taking care of the house and working out too!!!!

if i'm stressed out I'm not useful to anyone.

I totally understand where you are coming from, I have a 3 and a nearly 2 year old whom wont let me be in the kitchen and try and decorate a cake. So the last cake I made I started on the Sunday whilst dh was watching them and keeping them occupied and then every night for two hours I worked on the cake.

Luckily for me I put the kids into pre-school and daycare twice a week, I suffered terribly with post-partum depression and both my dh and I came to an agreement that I could have my "me" time and that the kids would go to daycare/pre-school.

Some people have always laughed at me because of our bedtime routine and that where we would go I would stick to their routine, but so far so good and both of mine go down without any trouble. (even though I've had the terrible tantrums where my dd wouldnt go to bed and so I changed her routine a little and now she is good. We too make the chidren put toys away before having a bath.

We all need our down time and to take care of ourselfs before we can take care of others.

Rach

I am at the other end - my 22 year old is stationed at Fort Polk and is a sgt in the Army; my 18 year old packed up and moved out soon after her birthday - to live with an abusive boyfriend and his family - something my entire family tried to keep her from doing, but alas she is the magical "adult". At this point, I would love to have my kids under feet - I know I felt the way you did when they were little, but it passes in the blink of an eye, even if somedays seem like eternity - you'll have time later to accomplish the things that you didn't before the kids came along - don't wish it away - try to find joy even when it seems like they're going to drive you crazy. Hang in there.

I understand your situation...I had twin girls (they are 25 now), and when I was trying to decorate after a long day at work, sometimes it was almost impossible! Although I must say, my husband was terrific at managing the girls while I tried to decorate...good luck...enjoy your children while they are small (even if they seem to drive you nuts!!)...they'll eventually grow up and drive you nuts then, too!!

When I first started, my son was 2. I would lay a dining room chair down across the kitchn doorway. He would stand there and sometimes just watch .... sometimes cry because he couldn't get in the kitchen.

Luckily, I was a mom who could tune it out. I was working .... he couldn't come in. Eventually, he understood the chair meant "no access".

I hear you! I have 3 boys, 2 4 and 6. I think the real problem is that I am so obsessed with cake decorating. I feel like it is the only thing (besides my loving family of course) that I have JUST FOR ME. And I want to be doing it most of the time!! So it is very hard for me to be patient and wait to work on things during nap time or bed time. I usually end up frustrated if I try to do too much when I need to be watching the kids. Good luck! It will get better!

Yes mam! I have suffered, cried, screamed, yelled, begged and just threw stuff!
I have a just turned 3 year old, a 14 year old, and a will be 2 year old in oct who we recently adopted and found out has a touch of autism to boot.
So we struggle and we connive and we learn to slip in as much time when they are occupied safely to decorate.
My children have never been nappers so no time out for me during the day. My hubby and I decided when I was carrying middle girl we would not do the daycare thing and I would stop work and stay home. Now we have 2 more since and boy can it make a preacher cuss at times!

But I have discovered my 3 year old is trying to teach her younger sis to "make fondant stuff" like mommy so I can put them at the breakfast table with old cutters and a pile of wilton fondant in a couple colors and viola! They are "helping mommy cake"!

Other than that, it's saturdays between my oldest guitar lessons and yoga club someone watches the little nuts as I call them, and mommy cakes by herself!

The key is balance between family, cakes and your own time.
Now if I could just get my herding dog to "herd" my little ones out of my hair I'd be alright! Anyone know a good dog trainer??

Let me also add that my observations of "moms today" is they think they have to be the total entertainment for their kids. I see it in my own daughter..... she is a great mom, but she never taught her daughter to play by herself. Her kid thought mommy had to color with her....that mommy had to watch spongebob with her ... that mommy had to always read a story to her. Now that she has a new baby, she suddenly is pushing the 5-year old to do things on her own, because mommy is busy with the baby. It's become a necessity that has to be done on the crash-course method.

Teach your children to entertain themselves. They need to do this to expand and cultivate their imaginations; to be able to grow their thinking process; to be able to grow as a person; to be an independent person. You are short-changing them if they are not taught to do this.

It is NOT wrong to teach them "this is mommy's time. Go play."

Oh yeah, I know EXACTLY how you feel! I have two boys, 5 & 7, and a
1 1/2 year old baby girl. The boys are easy, but she is much more of a challenge. I've learned that it's just too frustrating to do any decorating during the day because of all the interruptions. The only thing I can get done is baking and sometimes a little bit of decorating or something during her nap time. It can be pretty difficult always working at night but it's just less stressful and you can just concentrate on work.

My baby girl has cake radar! She has had many nights where she's woken up 5 times while I'm trying to do a cake! Each time I have to nurse her back to sleep...while trying to stay awake so I can get up and finish my cake. I've seen 5-6 a.m. more nights then I would like.

Indydebi is right about teaching kids to play on their own. One thing that I find works well is to sit down and play with them for a few minutes to get them going on an activity and then once they get involved you get up and do whatever you need to get done. Just that little bit of guidance can make a big difference in how long they will play by themselves.

Good luck!
Courtney

I'm so glad I posted my rant here. It really helped just to hear that others understand because they went through it too. Your words of wisdom are appreciated.

miss_sweetstory: I totally agree. I wouldn't trade this time for anything. It's hard but very rewarding to be a mom. I wish I had taken a picture of the cake before I left. I was in a rush. But it turned out pretty good for a beginner. The roses looked well formed. (The color was a little strange because I think I used too much dye) But the thing I have to work on is my over all design and proportion. The vines and leaves were sloppy and lacked symmetry or something. I learned a lot just from doing it. It is kind of exciting to be just starting out because with every cake I make, I learn so much.

cuillere: Wow! How do you do it all? That's awesome that you are going to school and also being a mom and also enjoying your hobby. Good for you!

titch: That is so wise. Yes, we need to take care of ourselves so we can be strengthened for our responsibilities. I need to discuss this with my husband. He's such a good husband and father, but I get the impression that he thinks since I stay home full time with our daughter, I don't need a break.

dhawkins: Thanks for your wisdom in viewing things from the perspective of this time being brief. It's so true. It seems like yesterday when she was an infant and I could hold her in the crook of my arm. *sigh* It is really hard to be a mom, but I believe that the values and lessons we instill in our children will stay with them for all their lives.

WarEagle: I wish my husband would help me like yours did. I will have to see if he's willing! Good idea.

indydebi: I love the idea of laying a chair across the doorway. I think that would work great until they get to a certain age where they can monkey their way around any obstacle. Also, I agree with your perspective on teaching kids to be able to entertain themselves. It's good for them. I also know some moms who are raising their kids the way your described. It's kinda disturbing to see.

merissa: I think I am getting obsessed too. I was feeling absolutely desperate to decorate. And I thought that maybe I need to calm down a little because it's possible that children pick up on their mom's emotions and then start behaving strangely!

2sdae: LOL about a preacher cussing. That's so true. I really try to keep my calm but there are times when I realize there is such a thing as a "last nerve".

mamacc: LOL about the cake radar. That's got to be true. They have radar for sweets and that's just how it is. I'm amazed how my year and half year old daughter seemed to know right away that the bland colored goop in the bowl was delicious, sweet frosting...and she had to have some. How she knew it was good, I don't know. Because it looked like nothing special since I had not dyed it yet.

I don't know what is worse when they won't let you concentrate from their lack of attention that they are NOT getting (like they don't get it all all day long) Or when you finish th e ones and everything is ready to decorate to find your 3 year old has eaten most of them... Long talk on that one

Hang in there. I have twin girls that will be a year in October and my handsome young man that likes to 'help' by eating everything that will be 4 in Jan.

I know what you mean. I have a two year old with a gumpaste feddish and a three year old that has to make her own cake while Im working. The hardest thing to do is to tend to their needs and be able to concentrate. I try to get them interested in either a movie or coloring. But kids are kids.
My two year old is famous for taking bites out of my styrofoam dummy cakes. The last one I made which was a square cake, ended up being an octogon when she was done! She ate the stryrofoam and all!
Hang in there. Before you know it they will be off to college and we will be wishing they were little ones again. Time goes by too fast!

When they are little they step on your toes. When they grow up they step on your heart. Enjoy the days you have with your little ones

I must be among the minority. I missed my son when he went to the Army and I missed my daughter when she first went to college. As far as wishing they were back home--NO WAY!!!!! Of course, my son lives next door with his wife and two kids and my daughter lives about 2 miles away with her husband and 4 kids. Needless to say...........I'm forever babysitting!

I have never had any trouble with the grandkids bothering me when I work on cakes. They drag up and chair and watch and want to lick the bowls but never bother anything. Guess I should consider myself very lucky.

I went to Grandparents' Day at school yesterday and my grandson who is in the 4th grade wrote a paragraph and drew pictures for me. He told that he loved to come to Grandma's because she makes good cakes and cookies and her rolls are awesome. Made me feel darn good!!!!

Diane

I have an 8 yr old, a 3 yr old, and an almost 2 year old and they drive me crazy on a daily basis, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I think I'm pretty lucky when it comes to things I need to get done, because DH will watch them for me. Now the times that he can't keep an eye on them when I need to get something done is a whole other story. Usually I baby-gate them in the play room so they can't get out and run rampant through the house. Then of course when I start to do something that's when my almost 2 yr old is climbing on top of the play kitchen so she can turn the light switch off and on, or the 3 yr old has hit her sister with a toy, or the 8 yr old is mad because she wants to go do something else. That's when I want to pull my hair out. I usually tell them that mommy's running away to join the circus. Which of course doesn't work because they get excited about going to the circus and want to go with me! Oh well. At least they are cute when they sleep!

I have a 2 1/2 year old. He broke his baby gate at around 18 months old. He kept leaning on it until the wood broke. He plays very well by himself. Doesn't like to share his toys with other kids, but that's another story. He comes in the kitchen every once in awhile to ask what I am doing. Sometimes he shakes the table by accident, but that's about it. My husband will watch him when he gets home from work if I need him to.

I'm new here, but this is a bandwagon I can jump on. I have two boys, one will be 3 next week and a 9 month old. I try to let the older one watch when I'm decorating or baking, which usually means that he has his face about 3 inches from whatever it is I'm doing. And the 9 month old has just learned how crawl and well, suffice to say that he is NOT happy being confined.

It does get really frustrating, but I remind myself that these are the times that I will look back on and miss.

My crew is:

7 month old who not only crawls but also stands and climbs, falls down, gets her fingers pinched, won't nap and puts everything on the floor in her mouth.
2 1/2 year old witha suger addiction....we had to lock the pantry
4 year old who climbs up on the fridge to eat my fondant figures
7 year old who can hear me opening the cupboard and just knows I'm about to make a cake. He pulls up a chair and does the " can I like the bowl dance"

I also have a nine year old, 13 year old, 14 year old and 16 year old....my wonderful baby sitters.

See, a large family can be a good thing. Many helpers so mom can decorate during her 'me' time.

But, no it wasn't fun when they were all so small. Have patience they will get older and until then break up your decorating tasks.
Bake one day, freeze the cakes.
Make icing the next day.
Decorate when they finally go to sleep.

mommachris