Ripple in Still Water

In the food blogging community we have many things we would rather keep private. I have my fair share. But some parts of our lives need to be spoken of. Today my post is in memory of my twin sons who were stillborn on this day last year.

I wish it was easy to celebrate their first birthday. I wish they were here to enjoy it. Nevertheless they are with me in my thoughts. They have been appearing on my blog if you only know where to look and they will continue to do so. There will be cake today. Happy birthday Alex and Ian. Always remembered.

Noble Nature
Ben Jonson (1573–1637)

It is not growing like a tree
In bulk, doth make Man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night—
It was the plant and flower of Light
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in short measures life may perfect be.

Update:

To see others' experiences see Wife in the North's article, Jane Hansen's experience as told in the ABC Australian Story television program and her book Three Seasons, and Mary Coustas' article in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Traditions: 

• All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows or Hallowmas.
• The Day of the Dead, a day to honour dead children and infants in Mexico.
• The Youruba people in West Africa have a statue carved, called the Ere Ibeji, to represent each child when their twins die. 
• In Japan, the god Jizo is believed to be the guardian of children who died before their parents, especially those who have been stillborn or miscarried, and his statues can be found at roadsides and gravesites. 
• Shidu is a Chinese phenomenon (rather than tradition) denoting the loss of a parent's only child. 
  

Alex and Ian's birthdays:

• 2008: Remembered with a candle cake
• 2009: Remembered with a number two cake
• 2010: Remembered with a number three cake
• 2011: Remembered with a monkey cake
• 2012: Remembered with a rocket cake
• 2013: Remembered with owl and spider cupcakes
• 2014: Remembered with a monster cake 
• 2015: Remembered with ghost cupcakes
• 2016: Remembered with a medieval castle cake
• 2017: Remembered with a Loch Ness Monster cake
• 2018: Remembered with spiderweb cupcakes
• 2019 Remembered with eyes in the dark cake
• 2020 Remembered with red velvet cupcakes with eyeballs
• 2021 Remembered with Oreo spider cupcakes
• 2022 Remembered with Jack Skellington cake
  
• 2023 Remembered with Vegemite cake