Happy, Happy Day

Sunday was an amazing day for us. We got to celebrate our amazing little girl’s 4th birthday with family and friends. There was so much going on in the preparation of the weekend that I was hard pressed to actually stop and remember what that day had been like 4 years prior. The day that we became parents to our beautiful, beautiful baby, graced with that little “something extra” that so many of you know so well. That extra little bit of spice that tops off the chef’s special, making it just that much more surprising and totally unique. It had been a very long road to parenthood, and we were ready for whatever unpredictable curve balls it would throw at us.

Just like we have said at Christmases and birthdays past, this year marked a new awareness and enthusiasm for Sammi leading up to the big day. We had been talking it up with her for weeks, discussing everything from how old she would be (“Four, she said, concentrating hard to move her fingers into position with her thumb folded across her palm and her remaining four digits held up proudly) to whether she wanted a Dora party or a Kai-lan party. Just in the last few weeks she began to perfect her rendition of “Happy Birthday to You,” pronouncing the words accurately and beautifully (but still not singing in any way reflective of a tune). She’s been excited about having “pizza and cake” and about her friends that would be there. I fantasize about what next year’s pre-birthday conversations will be like, but trust me, I’m not rushing them! Take your time to 5, baby! Actually, next year her birthday will fall on Memorial Day. I know this not because I looked it up recently, but because I looked it up when she was born. I remember thinking, her birthday will fall on Memorial Day when she turns 5. Cool, a birthday on a holiday! But loads of time before then…

The last 4 years have passed so quickly, and I can only imagine what the next 4 or 40 have in store for us. But there’s no question that Samantha will continue give us far more frequent reasons to celebrate than the annual birthday fetes.

Being silly with Grandpa.  He'd asked her a question, to which her response was, "hmmm...let's see..."

Sadly, it was too breezy to actually light the candle on her cake.  She still has not gotten to blow out birthday candles due to a number of circumstances over the years.  Maybe next year...?

Yum, cake!