You’ve had the wedding (and the wedding cake), you moved on to the baby shower (and the baby shower cake), you graduated to the “welcome new baby!” stage (yeah, there’s a cake for that, too!) — and now, it’s time to start making some new memories . . . the ones that happen every year when you celebrate the birthday of that wonderful new family member.

First birthdays, well, they’re a big deal, that’s for sure. Even if the star of the show (aka, the Birthday Girl or Boy) might not be too sure about all the goings-on around them – the chance to create photo opportunities and commemorate the event: Priceless.

Everyone, of course, has their own ideas about birthday themes and, oh, let’s just face it – arranging a Birthday Extravaganza because it’s your baby! And for the time being, anyway, mom and dad are in charge of the party arrangements, and oh what fun 1st birthday cakes  we get to create for them.

And 2nd and 3rd and 4th birthdays, too – and you can see how these early birthday events have an unlimited resource of favorite characters and friends that lend themselves perfectly for an adorable (and edible) centerpiece.

Whether your cake is shaped like the numbers or dinosaurs or bears (oh my!) . . .

. . . or your summer birthday includes visions of the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea (along with the appropriate creatures and sailing paraphernalia) . . .

. . . we’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: It’s just not a party without the cake. (Don’t believe us? Trying having one without it!)  Happy Birthday, Kids!!