Birthdays

Lucy thought the frosting was the best part of her cupcakes

This Friday was Lucy's third birthday. It is hard to believe that she is already three. I still have lots of moments when I look at her and think, "Where did you come from? Who are you again?" I suppose that feeling goes away eventually. When your child has been around for thirty years or so you probably aren't surprised by their existence any longer. Knowing a person from birth does give me a whole new perspective on why parents think their kids are so great, even when many of them seem to be such idiots (as adults that is). When you knew someone when they couldn't even sit up, of course it seems miraculous that they can form entire sentences.

Celebrating the birthday of someone that you have actually given birth to also gives a new flavor to birthdays. Of course, I was present at my own birth but I can't say that I remember it. Lucy's birth, however, is etched into my memory. This year, Lucy actually likes hearing the g-rated version of her birth, over and over again. I left out the bloody bits, the heart rate decelerations, and how Mitch and I got into a small discussion about when we should go to the hospital. I left in the plunger to the head and the surprise of the nurse when she realized we were ready to have the baby (after being in the hospital about ten minutes). Lucy also picked up on the mid-wife and doctor bit and likes to say, "and then you called the midwife and the doctor." In some ways, Lucy's birthday is even more meaningful to me than my own because I was aware of the importance of her birth from the beginning. I only discovered how important my own birth was when I realized that it was an actual event that signaled my beginning and that the world existed without me before I was born (that was a disturbing realization...).

Jonas at Lucy's birthday party

Anyway, we had a nice weekend celebrating both Lucy's and her friend Jonas' birthdays. We had a party for Lucy on Friday at Marina Park. Lots of the kids got wet and sandy (including Lucy), we all ate pizza and cupcakes, and Lucy got showered with gifts. She was way into the presents and we almost had a mini-riot during the gift opening as all of the kids descended on the new toys, which, of course, Lucy had absolutely no interest in sharing. Luckily we were able to divert the incident by reading one of the gifts (a Richard Scarry book from Jack and Rowan) while we hid all the other gifts. All of the presents were awesome with three of Lucy's favorites being her new pink poodle dog that whines, opens and closes its eyes, and drinks from a bottle (don't ask) - thanks Dylan, Evan, Mary and Ryan, her new scooter from Grandpa Tom and Grandma Sue, and her dressing bunny from Grandma Jo and Grandpa Jim.

We have one day left in the weekend and I have about 20 loads of laundry to do. So I had better get to bed so I can get up in the morning with my zest for laundry intact. We sure are glad that Lucy is around and that she has successfully made it through another year with her physical being intact and her nutty personality getting even nuttier.