Making a cake is a family affair.

For my birthday, Jack wanted to make a cake with the kids. I have no cake mixes on hand, but I do have a good basic cookbook. After looking through it, Jack realized he had no idea what kind of cake I like. That's because I don't like cake, really. But I told him if it had to be cake, to make it lemon. He said that was the only one he was actually considering making. See? He does know what kind of cake I would like, if I liked cakes.

This look is typical Jack Jack. Imagine a statement with teenage-attitude coming out of his mouth in a high, squeaky, little boy voice. It's quite hilarious sometimes. Where do my kids get an attitude? I have no idea (fingers crossed behind my back).

Jack Jack is probably thinking that if Daddy would only let him be in charge, the cake would be done by now.

See that egg in Jack Jack's left hand? Not only do we suspect he is left-handed like his Daddy because he consistently chooses to use that hand, he is also an egg-cracking pro. Because of his extreme interest in egg-cracking, Ellen has jumped on the bandwagon, and I have had to institute taking turns cracking eggs. Good thing we eat omelets or pancakes almost every morning.

Ellen got to zest the lemon. The novelty of it made up for not getting to crack an egg.

Yes, that's my boy sitting in his favorite spot: the kitchen counter. It's a little blurry, but he really is so much cuter when he smiles, and this was the only one I got.

The lemon cake with lemon icing turned out really yummy. We had enough cake for several days, and I wouldn't be lying if I told you that the kids might have had cake and raspberry sherbet and milk for dinner one night later in the week. It was probably the day I took the kids swimming, and we were all exhausted, and Jack Jack was so tired from swimming that he slept in until a record 10:00 a.m. the next morning.

I left him sleeping (Jack was home, of course) and took Ellen and Rose with me for a quick grocery store run. When we got back, he was . . . on the kitchen counter, making himself something for breakfast. It might have been cake.

Thanks for the yummy birthday cake!