A cake was baked and topped with a number of candles that signified the child's age, plus one. The additional candle, or the "light of life" as it was known, symbolized the life to be experienced ...

On top of the cake, pink icing spelled out: "Happy birthday Olivia." There were also candles shaped like the number eleven, and more candles so that the newly minted 11-year-old could make a big ...