Celebration(s)

I love birthdays.  I always have, and hopefully always will.  My family--especially my grandma--always made me feel special on my birthday, without going overboard.  I want the same for Ella.  I want her embrace growing up, and I want her to know that she is so loved--not just on her birthday, but on every day of the year.

I wouldn't say we went overboard by any means, but we definitely celebrated this first year of Ella's life.

It started a couple of weeks ago with her baptism, and since my parents and my mother-in-law were in town, we had her party that day as well.

One of my students made the cupcakes for the party...

...and my mother-in-law made Ella's cake.

Modeling the new tutu that her dance-teaching aunt sent her.

Sampling her cake.

As you can see from the cake picture...she liked it, but wasn't very enthusiastic about it.  I had to show her that it was okay to eat it.  She ate a few bites and got just messy enough to give us a couple of the requisite pictures.

The next weekend, we helped celebrating the birthday of the little girl at Ella's daycare who is three days older than Ella. This time, it was the other birthday girl's turn to play with the big cake, and Ella got a cupcake...and she definitely knew what to do with it!

Remnants of Ella's cupcake at Madelyn's party.

Since Ella and Madelyn are just days apart (and are favorites of the main daycare provider), they brought in a cake with their picture on it to daycare on one of the days between the two birthdays.

Ella and Madelyn checking out their cake while we sing.

Trying a bit of the frosting...and not quite knowing what to think.

My husband was traveling on Ella's actual birthday, so I left work a few minutes early, and brought her out to a special dinner, just her and me.  We then picked up a cupcake from a special cupcake place near campus and headed home.

Cupcake before...

 Cupcake during...

Cupcake after!

Each celebration was wonderful in their own way, but there was something just so special about spending the evening alone with Ella on her actual birthday.  I pray that I'm always able to spend some quality time--just me and her--on or around her birthday each year to come.  She is so amazing, and I praise God for her every day.

Today's blessing is the chance to go to the zoo with Madelyn and her mom--who is quickly becoming a good friend.  This will be Ella's first trip to the zoo, so I'm excited for all that she will get to see today.