A Troubling Portent

As many people who pay attention to the calendar are probably aware, Tuesday was Fat Tuesday. To celebrate, Libby stopped by the grocery store on her way home an bought the last King Cake. Not only was this Gabe and Norah's first King Cake experience, it was mine as well. Supposedly, there's supposed to be a baby baked into the cake, and the person who gets the baby is supposed to receive good luck.

I find this tradition troubling. What part of finding a baby baked into a cake is good luck? Presumably, it would be good luck for the baby to be freed from the cake--except for the part where it has to be baked into it in the first place. And, I suppose if the person receiving the baby is hoping for a child, then it might be lucky for him/her. But what if Gabe had received the baby? He's not in any position to care for a child. He can't even wipe his own butt yet! I think this kind of random baby acquisition is just irresponsible.

Fortunately, we didn't find a baby in our cake. Dillons must not have had access to the "irregulars" at the local baby factory or something. So we dodged that bullet. Thank god.

Gabe was convinced that this was a King Donut instead of a King Cake, which, really, it sort of was since it was basically a big cinnamon roll. But drawing his attention away from it long enough to take a picture proved impossible. He couldn't even focus well enough to smile for the camera. The boy LOVES his donuts.

Instead of a baby, our cake came with a mask. Both of the kids took turns wearing it. There's something about this picture that I find unsettling. Not sure what it is.

I love her pose for this picture. She looks like a superhero. By day, mild mannered Norah Albers. By night, she's Fat Tuesday, scourge of fried foods everywhere!

Is that name a bit too cruel? If so, I take it back. But I won't erase it because I find it to be hilarious.

Gabe and Norah also got to have their first Mardi Gras "beads" experience as well. Gabe's preschool had a giant tub of them when he got there Tuesday morning, and Gabe came home with fifteen or twenty. They spent most of the night trading them and decorating themselves with them.

Then this happened.

Yeah. She's wearing beads and lifting up her shirt. The worst part is--well, there's no "best" part of this scenario, really--she was doing it without being offered more beads. If she's going to completely objectify herself, she should at LEAST be doing it for the predetermined award. Instead, she's just giving it up for free. Deeply troubling on so many levels.