*and just as his expression had returned to something like his normal cheer, grows wide-eyed again* *figures that now is certainly not the time to mention that he's never had a birthday cake before (though his father stuck a candle in a cupcake on his eighth birthday so maybe that counts?)*
*pink with pleasure again, sets the dog down so that she doesn't get any bright ideas about eating the cake (or putting a paw in it)* *takes a deep breath and blows out the candles*