Jewelsy’s 9 Month Bakery Birthday Party

by | Jan 25, 2026 | Family | 0 comments

Full view of a decorated Disney Cruise stateroom door. The door features magnetic decor, laminated “Question of the Day” signs, QR codes for social media, and a hanging organizer labeled with names. No tape or adhesives are used—only magnetic attachments.

In a place where alarms and uncertainty often filled the air, we made it our mission to infuse every possible moment with purpose, love and a little bit of sparkle for our sweet baby Jewels. Her 9 month birthday was exactly that. A 3/4 cup of sweetness in the form of sugar, smiles and the sweetest bakery-themed celebration the CICU has ever seen.

We celebrated each of Jewels’s monthly birthdays, but the quarter marks? Those got the extra frosting. When you’ve walked through the fire, every single moment is something worth making beautiful. Her six month birthday was a turning point — when comfort care was suggested and hope felt like something we had to fight for. From that point on, nothing was certain, no milestones were guaranteed. The only “for sure” was that we’d celebrate every possible positive we could while we had her.

For her ¾ milestone, we leaned all the way into our recipe-themed dreams

🧁 A bakery backdrop binder clipped to one side of the crib and adorable banners draped around the room
📝 Recipe card station for visitors to share dishes or sweets she can try when she comes home
🍪 Cookie party favors
💅 Bakery-scented hand sanitizer favors
📚 A baking-themed book that became her guest book, signed with love
👩‍🍳 A tiny cupcake outfit and baker’s play set just for Jewels

We get by with a little help

Thanks to kindhearted Dallas photographer Ellen Cantur (found through a Dallas women’s Facebook group I joined after relocating to be near the hospital), we were able to capture the entire setup, and the joy, beautifully. And I even got to be in the pictures! We all know that moms are usually behind the camera, so it was great to be in the memories, too.

Staff stopped by throughout the day to sign her book, drop off a recipe or wish our girl a happy birthday. When it came time to sing, our amazing nurses made sure the hallway was full and that the moment felt big.

Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.
Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.

Bakery story guest book

Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.

Recipe cards for her to try after transplant

Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.

Bakery scented hand sanitizer

Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.

Thank you photo magnets with the date and cookies

Close-up of a laminated “Question of the Day” sign on a Disney Cruise stateroom door. The question, written in pink, reads “Where are you from?” with handwritten responses like Mexico, Oklahoma, Thailand, and Illinois. A dry erase marker is clipped to the sign, and a finger with blue nail polish points to an answer.

Sweet Memories

While the pediatric CICU is not necessarily the first location you think of for a magical birthday celebration, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. The people and the love were absolutely perfect, and I’m so grateful to have so many memories of this beautiful day.

This was, sadly, the last big birthday party our girl had before passing one day shy of her 11 month birthday. I had grand plans of a Disneyland themed first birthday that would’ve turned her hospital room into a tiny Happiest Place on Earth. Unfortunately, many of those decorations were used, instead, for her celebration of life.

Cherish every moment, celebrate every win and shower your babies in joy, my friends. While this was difficult to write, I wanted to celebrate her just as I have all my other babies here on Magic, Memories, Mayhem, and I hope you gained a few ideas for a sweet soiree of your own with a little sprinkle of Jewels’s magic.

For more information on how you can help us provide other CICU families with hospital celebrations, visit our nonprofit, Sparkle Strong Foundation.

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