09.08.07
3;27am
7 lbs.
20.5 in.
Look at you now, my little snack monster! Six and full of the dickens.
Happ birthday, my sweet girl!
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| photos by hgd photography
That suit gets shorter every year and one of these days, it’ll fit you just right. Until then, in my heart, I’ll keep you as little as you were when we first met.
August 23, 2005
12:39am
7 lbs. 10 oz.
21 inches long
I love you to the moon and back.
I love you batches and batches.
I love you, my gorgeous girl.
Happy, Happy Birthday! |
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| (hgd photography) |
I read once that the first birthday party is really for the parents. After spending any time on Pinterest searching kids birthday parties, there is a crap ton of information that supports that claim. From the decorations to the themes, to the party favors and the food, some of these One Year celebrations are enough to qualify for a reality show of their own. Did anyone else see the Marie Antoinette First Birthday? You think I’m making this up, but truly, it’s real. Kudos to the mom who created such a féte; it’s really something to behold.
When Mo and Co each turned one, we kept it simple. Family came over. We ate, we sang, we let the girls eat cake. So, too, this is what we did with V. My parents came, my brother, my father-in-law, and V’s godparents. We had burgers, and chicken, my grandmother’s potato salad, and cupcakes that I did not make. I know! Shut the front door on that one, but yes, I decided to forgo getting all Betty Crocker and let Pearl’s Cupcakes do the heavy lifting on this one. We had home made iced tea and cold beers. It was a perfect summer meal on an overcast and slightly rainy early summer day. We sang the song and the girls helped V blow out her candle. I made vodka tonics for the grown ups, while my brother made drunken gummy bears for me and him to share. We ate. We laughed. We talked. The girls disappeared to watch TV while V napped. We ate again. We laughed some more. We talked even more. The party came to its natural end, and everyone was sufficiently sated with fellowship, food, and fun. The girls reappeared, looking for dinner and trying to stave off bedtime. So we ate again and laughed some more.
After even had returned safely home, after the girls had been bathed, pj’ed and dropped in their beds, the house was quiet again. The Hubs thanked me for pulling together such a nice time for our family. I know it was V’s birthday, but I think with those simple words, I’m pretty sure I got the gift.
09.08.07
CCD
7 lbs. , 20 in.
Look at you now.
Happy, happy birthday, baby!
Of all of the projects I do with and for my girls — and there are many — I think this is my favorite.
Maybe I don’t really hate arts and “craps” as much as I claim. . .
When I was a kid, my birthday was my special day. No one else in the family had a September birthday. Since it fell on, or the day after, the first day of school, my parents tried to make it very special for me. I had a birthday party at McDonald’s once (this is like 1984), I had a party at Showbiz Pizza and one at Chuck E. Cheese, naturally. When I turned 16, my parents took me and 16 of my girlfriends to a Mongolian Bar-B-Que and then back to the house. There was cake, ice cream and presents (my first VS bra, thanks Daphne!).
Chronologically, the girls are two years apart in age. On the calendar, however, their birthdays are a mere two weeks apart. Throw in indulgent grandparents, excited aunties and uncles, and loving parents — there’s a whole lot of celebrating going on.
This year just as in the years past, there have been multiple celebrations between August 23rd (Morgan) and September 8th (me and Coever). Gone are the days of getting fêted on your birthday. We’re celebrating the day of, the day after, the day before your sister’s and the day after that because we can’t all coordinate to celebrate on the actual day. Cards and gifts come trickling in from August 20th through September 12th.
One gift has become three, five or more. Mo wants to know what Co has. I’m doling out cake ballz for breakfast and trying to to say “yes” instead of “no” because, Hey, it’s her birthday! Co is asking for a 7 layer cake and some gold foil covered chocolate coins. Mo is digging into a gift bag and wondering where is her makeup and some earrings. Co requests pizza for her special birthday dinner, with a side of sushi for Mo. My phone is ringing with well-wishers and it’s not even 7:15 in the morning.
A couple of years ago, I decided that to get things under control, we’re saving the big, pony-ride-bounce-house-face-painters-limo-ride type celebrations for milestone numbers like 5, 10, 16, and 21. Morgan tried to work 18 in there, but I may still be recovering from her 16th birthday bash if I know how my daughter operates. Her ideal party, for any occasion, think MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 minus the bratty, whiny, snotty kids. Just big location, big to-do, big dresses (she does love a costume change). Blessedly, I’ve got many a year before I even need to start thinking about that. Then, instead of “Hide yo’ kids“, it’ll be “Hide yo’ checkbook”.
I will say, though, the back-to-back birthdays has been a good time. It’s nice getting the family together to celebrate our girls, who are pretty inseparable on most days that end in “y”. I really enjoy the bathing suit and dress projects that I started with them. I love to see how they’ve grown right before my eyes. I hope they will get a kick out of it, too, especially when I present their respective collages and outfits to them for their 21st birthdays.
So, Pearl’s cupcakes have been eaten. The cake ballz are but a sugar coated memory. The presents have been opened, played with, and discarded to the playroom wasteland of forgotten toys. Birthday celebrations are complete, at least for this week.
Craig turn **koff*koff* on September 29th.
September 8, 2007
3:27am
7 lbs. 0 oz.
21.5 inches long
Catherine Coever
Coever
Coever-Beezus
Coever-Biscuit
Coever B.
Catherine, my Catherine
Winge
Winjus-Ninjus
Snack Monster
Snack Monster
Angry Chicken
I love you t-h-i-s (arms stretched out wide) much and forever.
“As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.”
Happy 4th Birthday to my little birthday present.
