Dear Benjamin,
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today is THE day! Your first birthday! Yay!
You started the day by waking around...6? 6:30? You played in your crib until roughly 7:15. Because today is daddy's sleep-in day (Technically it's his day...depending upon my Friday, sometimes it's my day), I got you out of bed myself. (Generally, your wake up routine involves both of us, because neither of us can stand not being there, but on weekends, when we're both completely hungover from a week of sleep-deprivation, we're willing to forego a wakening in exchange for a few extra hours in bed.)
I came into your room singing "Happy Birthday," which of course you didn't recognize because it's never been sung to you before, so you merely greeted the day the same way you always do, which is by holding onto the rails of your crib and bouncing. You're such a morning baby! You obviously take after your father this way.
Anyway. . .
After a lot of bouncing and opening of blinds and saying good morning to the front yard, and to the neighborhood, I changed your diaper. (It was messy.) Then we headed to the kitchen for breakfast. You ate oatmeal and pears in a jar, some chopped banana (your favorite!), and then washed it all down with a sippy cup of milk.
Then we played in your room. You squeaked your crocodile at me (actually, I think it's an alligator, but because of the comic, Pearls Before Swine, all green, dragon-like animals will forever be referred to as crocodiles), we vroom-vroomed some cars, you toppled several of my towers, and we counted ladybugs. Ad nauseum. (Not that I'm complaining, mind you.)
Around 8:30? 9:00? we made our way out to the kitchen because I was in desperate need of coffee. Papa woke up about that time and came out to join us.
Between that time and...say...noon-thirty everything is a blur. I left you with papa at some point so that your Sissy and I could go pick up your cake and run by the grocery store for other things that I needed for your party. I returned home around. . .12:30-ish, I guess. I fed you lunch. I put you to bed for a nap. You didn't nap. Brother William showed up. Guests were due to arrive. I decided you should be gotten up. William and Lizzie got you out of bed.
Aunt Liz arrived.
Brother Alex and his fiance, Nikki, showed up.
From that point, people continued to arrive. Eventually we had in attendance (in addition to the people already named), Peepa, Nana, Grandma Lovick, Aldert, Rayna, Dennis, Lance, Gavin, Willa, Shaile, Morgan, Shanan, Amy, and Nathan.
We sang you happy birthday. You had your very own cake, which at first you were reluctant to even touch, but once you stuck a finger into the sugar-laden icing and tasted it, you were hooked! You smeared it everywear! You were on a veritable sugar high by the time I rescued you and dunked you into the bathtub.
After your bath, we opened presents. You received a ton (at least!) of them! Mainly toys. Of course, you were much more interested in the tissue paper than the actual toy contained therein.
Eventually, the crowd subsided and you readily--gladly--went down for a nap in the cool comfort of your crib.
When you awoke, we dressed you and hauled you out to the car so that you could attend your second birthday party of the day--the one you shared with your great-grandmother at Robinwood (in Wendell).
Aunt Liz gave you three more presents there. One of which was a Jack in the Box, with which Mommy managed to scare the bejeezus out of you. (I'm sorry!)
Because it was late by the time we got there (6 p.m.), we didn't stay long after the present opening ceremony (Grandma's, not yours). We ran by the grocery store (a.k.a. the banana shop) on the way home so that we had something to eat in the house besides cake. By the time we got to the house it was 8:30 p.m. You were exhausted. I put you in your PJs and read you a book and put you to bed.
What a day!
What a wonderful, wonderful day!
Your first birthday!
My how the time does fly. . .
I love you. So much. I love you sooooooooo much. I love you!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!
