Burning the midnight oil.

I was up until 3:30 am last night for a cake. My poor 4 month old was sick, needing nebulizer treatment all week and needing me until near midnight every night. He was sick last weekend so I couldn't get the all of the gumpaste details finished ahead of time.

Last night, I tried telling DH that I was "off duty" at 7, but didn't really get started til 10 - not so easy to be off duty with a sick and nursing baby & toddler, even the older guys are good at distracting me. DH tries, tells me to leave it to him, but how can I when he's on the couch w/baby and my 2 year old is in the kitchen getting into everything.

I finally finished the cake, cleaned the kitchen and climbed into bed at 2:50 am and the baby woke up looking to eat at 3:00, then was up for the day at 6:15. All I had left to do today before pick up was attach the 3 gumpaste roses and gumpaste Eiffel Tower topper and take some pics. Couldn't even get that done, finally had to let the poor little guy cry for a few minutes so I could finish and I felt incredibly guilty leaving him in his swing.

I still love doing cakes, but I wish it was the kind of thing I could do just a few hours here and there on the weekends. I'm SO worn out.

It's hard to get anything done if you have to look after little ones, especially if they're sick. You should probably just cut back until they're a little older, it DOES get easier. It sounds like you just had a rough week, but if you're doing a lot of cakes then it might be too much for right now. It gets soooooo much easier when they're in preschool. Errands that took you an hour take ten minutes, and you have time to get things done without a mini-human hanging onto you.

I know that some people get all emotional when their kids get older and don't need them as much, but the first time I went to Chuck E. Cheese's and both kids were old enough to run away and play without me, I decided that I was done having babies, the lack of "Mama! Mama! Mama!" was too good!

Yeah I agree with costumeczar....I applaud all of you that run a cake business from home, plus have small children.


It does get easier once they're toilet trained and in pre-school. Maybe just limit your orders until then and take a break.

Believe me the years fly by and before you know it they'll both be in school all day and you'll wonder what to do with all of your free time.

I hope your little guy feels better soon and get some rest!

you must be a saint to handle all of that. this is why i have a dog. and I send it to its grandmothers when i have to make a cake

hats off to you. do you have a grandparent or sibling that you could sweet talk into taking the little ones while you are baking? or maybe getting a baby sitter for just a few hours to keep them entertained and happy so you can concentrate and breathe a little? just trying to toss some ideas out, something to relieve your stress.

I have five nieces and I am the "babysitter/stress reliever for my sisters.

I am sorry you went through that. I've certainly been there and it is exhausting when they are sick yet you are still trying to get some work done. I always try to make as much in advance as I can. I have also learned how to cover a cake in fondant in 5 minutes flat (inc. rolling time) because ther are times I was in the middle of working on a cake during my then 1 yr. nap and he woke up. I learned how to do certain things fast. I also learned to stop cleaning up the toys and take a nap. I have three of them under 6- most of the time it is okay, but when they get sick....major stress time!

Hang in there!

Not with caking, but studying, when I have to be up till 3am with an assignment (much the same, can't concentrate/work well with humans hanging off me lol), I tend to tell hubby exactly what I need. I used to say 'I need your help tonight' but that got me just some help. Now I say "I need you to take over the kids tonight. I need you to bath them, feed them, do the homework reading and tidy the kitchen. Can you do this for me to study? I will just sit and do my assignment the whole time" and that works for us. He wants to help but just doesn't know what exactly to do. That's just the way we do it, and from talking to my friends, I realise that my man is just awesome. Just throwing it out there.

Also, hang in there! You've had a tough week with all the sickness, us mums know what that is like, and it will be easier when you don't have as much sickness in the house.

Other than that, I love vodka.

I too have a nursing baby and a 3 year old! I know its tough. Sorry your baby was sick, I save most of my caking until bedtime for the kids which is 8 But then I nurse my 5 month old through the night, not always the easiest schedule, but I've tried to make it work. I just don't do more than 2 projects a week, my husband "helps" but there is only so much they can do--not like he has the magic milk Hang in there!! I too am guilty of the let them cry just a few more minutes, then my 3 yr old is saying, Momma bubba's crying.... So I feel your pain! I hope your baby is feeling better!!!

It was nice to read all the stories of moms and how you juggle your schedules. I work full-time in the medical field, married with a 4-year-old daughter and a 3 month old son, while maintaining my at-home (licensed) cake business during the evening. Then of course, squeeze in bill paying, laundry and cleaning. My son still wakes up 1-2 times per night and my alarm goes off at 4am to start my day. I am so exhausted, but the thought of working my cake business so I can stay home with my kids and quit my medical job motivates me.
Now, when I am up tonight (literally) probably until 2-3am working on a delivery for tomorrow, I'll just think of all my other CC friends probably up too!! Guess I better get off the computer... or it will be 4am until I am finished!!!
I hope you're little one feels better soon. Nothing worse to tug on your heart than having a child not feeling good.
~ Jaime

I too have an early bedtime for everyone, 7 and at the latest 8. My husband is very good at getting them during the time he is at home. If he slacks, I snap a little. Don't tell me your gonna help and then don't help. And it's also why I don't do a lot of work.

Thank you!!!!! I SO knew you all would understand. I don't do that many cakes, some weeks none and almost never more than 1 in a week. This week was just terrible timing. My 4 month old is my 4th and last baby. I know they grow up all to quickly (my oldest is 10) and don't want to let myself get too busy with other things and miss out on this precious time with them. It helps so much to hear from all of you and know I'm not in it alone. I was so tired working on that cake the other night that my hands were tremling, and I was thinking I don't want to do any more cakes until they are all in school. Now that I've slept last night (other than 2 feedings), I'm feeling less frustrated. I don't know how you guys who are busy with cakes often do it, I am impressed.

Tell DH to pull his d*mned socks up and get with the program.

I have a total of 7 kids, one in college and 6 at home, not to mention 3 of them are under 3. My husband has had to learn to multi-task. I am a very good mutli-tasker, but doing a cake is muti-tasking unto it self. And I know how to ignore the things that don't matter (like him not bathing them the way I WOULD and don't we have that problem as a mom) and to have my hearing kick in for the things that do matter and require to step in (like him getting frustrated, cause our 3 year old can put up a mean fight at bed time, sometimes). You gotta let him figure out multi-tasking, cause he can, and you gotta let go of control, cause I know it's hard. But it will make things much easier on you all around.

I have 7 children , the oldest is 13 (one more due in 3 weeks) and doing my cakes has always been a "squeeze it in when I can" ordeal. The pressure was/is too much. My 2 year old is in playgroup now so I can get to my decorating kitchen (which is off my playroom, so I can only work when he is napping!) is a real pleasure now. But with the new baby due, I'm back to square one for the next two years! I've decided it's a small price to pay to have the children I want so much. I take less cake orders and spend more time being a mommy. Those are my priorities right now. When they grown up I can cake all I want. My twins were micropreemies who needed nebulizing around the clock for MANY months, so I sympathize greatly with the poster! Good luck to you and try to enjoy your children as well as your caking! Have a great and restful day...

Wow, I don't know how you guys manage any cakes with 7 kids. Chanielisalevy, congratulations on your new baby; I wish you a healthy and speedy delivery .