I'm jumping out of order a bit with the cakes. I'd been going through the ones I did about ten years ago, but I came across this picture of the cake I made for Alex's first birthday, and I thought I'd post it.
I remember working on this cake. I remember being in this kitchen, coloring fondant for the various fish and crustaceans...my niece, Lisa, was here and she helped make all the little gray rocks you see along the front base of the cake. I remember piping the bubbles that spell out the salutation in royal icing...and the curling wave over on the top right, also with royal icing. I remember painting blue food coloring and water onto the fondant for the surface of the cake. I remember this one really well. The cake inside was chocolate.
I'm still rather proud of the lobster and crab...although, yeah, I know they're only that red once they've been cooked. But hey, it was for a year-old child. Bright colors were more appropriate for that, I think. Right?