2nd Birthday Party

Yesterday was the long-awaited 2nd Birthday Party for Miss Lilah Rose Marie Alexander.

I had planned a Backyard Bug themed party. Lilah and I spent way too many hours 2 weeks ago on the invitations. She finger painted a yellow bumblebee on the front and I wrote out "Have you heard the Buzz?" Inside was a lady bug and you moved the wings aside to see the party information. They were cute, and we continued our tradition of making all her cards and invitations.

On Monday night at work, I made a 5-Day To-Do list. I figured if I broke up all my tasks over almost a week, I would be exponentially less likely to freak out.

On Tuesday, Lilah and I got up to have a girl's day. We got a coffee and cocoa and started shopping. Kimberly had made Lilah's birthday dress, so that was one less thing I had to take care of. We went to Michael's and I bought her birthday presents there. She got a rake, gardening bag with tools, gloves, wildflower seeds a watering can, and a frog planter. For party favors, we picked out little ceramic pots with soil and forget-me-nots or burning loves, and pastel tin pails with soil and either sunflowers, daisies, or coneflowers. We got her table cloth (green and white checkered) and some purple platters with white and green butterflies for serving food. In the same plaza, we drove to a party supply store to get pink plates and napkins, green cups, and yellow and orange balloons. Lilah thought she was hot stuff because she got to sit in the front seat to cross the parking lot. We went to Plato's Closet (also same plaza) and I bought a new outfit for the party. Afterward, we went to Red Robin for lunch. Lilah got a turkey burger and oranges and a lemonade. She had been fun and adorable all day, but she was getting sleepy during lunch. She had a mouth full and kept saying, "Kisses!" and "I love you!" I had to eat with one arm around her because she was feeling so snuggly. We were wrapping up and she kissed me and said, "I just...I just love you. So much." I almost cried. It's amazing to hear her emotions now, especially ones as precious as that. We got her some balloons from Red Robin and went home to nap her.

Wednesday I cleaned the house and got a hair cut. Really cleaned it. Everything was organised, de-cluttered, and scrubbed. Rob came over that night and we made, dyed, and rolled out fondant. We started the process that was her cake - a garden with bugs, mushrooms, and flowers. I had a vision of amazingness in my head and I wasn't sure my insignificant skill with baking and unimpressive creative talents were up for the job. Rob made some awesome bumblebees and mushrooms and I knocked out a butterfly and snail, and that was all we had energy for (that task alone took hours). We parted ways with hands dyed crazy colors and backs sore from being bent over a table covered in fondant.

Thursday I went to Meijer and bought all the food for her party. I was planning mini-burgers, humus and salsa served in green peppers made to look like grasshoppers with chips and veggies, ladybug bruschetta, Irish soda bread, fruit salad, dirt sundaes (chocolate ice cream with crushed Oreos and gummy worms), and cake. I rolled and dyed more bugs in every spare minute I could find.

Friday morning I woke up early to start the cake. I was truly afraid of it. Ephraim was over and helped me put together a vanilla-cinnamon cake (it tasted almost like a spice cake only more dense like a birthday cake, less spongy). I made more bugs and flowers while it baked. I made a fresh raspberry-lemon frosting and left it all to cool and set while I went to work. Dano started some of the decorating preparations and I left for work a few minutes early to collect my thoughts and have a coffee at Chazzanos (read as "not have a breakdown"). Rob kept offering to help wherever I needed it, as did Kim. I kindly rejected all offers, due to a trifecta of an intensely stubborn and independent streak, overactive guilt complex in accepting help from others and inconveniencing them, and ingrained belief that nothing is no-strings attached. Rob kept telling me everything would be fine and I just needed to breathe. At work, he texted to see if I wanted moral support after I got home and finished my prep, which I more than happily accepted. Dano cleaned a bit and decorated while I rolled out the fondant to cover the cake and started cutting fondant blades of grass to go around the circumference of the cake. After 20 minutes of painfully slow progress, Rob sneakily asked if he could offer a suggestion while still letting me do everything. Moments later, we were working in tandem with the fondant. It took less than an hour to finish the cake. It would have taken me at least 2; I'm guessing more. We finished all the prep possible and I was in bed by 2AM.

7AM came too early and I was up setting the table and finishing the food. Lilah woke up incoherently upset and needy, so she was sent off to play with Auntie Kim, cousins, and Papa Dennis so I could accomplish what I needed to. Erin showed up about an hour early while Dano was at the florist getting flowers for Lilah, a tradition that started last year with 6 white roses and a purple lily. This year it was an assortment of spring flowers and 2 yellow lilies. Erin scooped ice cream into cups, crushed Oreos, and tossed in gummy worms. Mellisa came early as well and formed hamburger patties while I cooked them. Dano came home and decorated the dining room. I set the table. Rob came armed with coffee and several French presses and set to work making coffee. More people trickled in. Introductions were made. Piles of presents started to form. Kim brought Lilah back and I dressed her in her party dress and tights. I caught Mellisa wiping down counters and neatening up. Erin helped keep the kids entertained. Lilah kicked balloons, shrieked happily, ate many plates of food, and had a lovely time. I went from group to group of people visiting and generally overseeing.

Before I knew what was going on, her party was in full swing and I was happy and relaxed. I frequently checked on the cake. Finally I told Rob that the structural integrity of the fondant had been severely compromised and it was time to eat it before it died. I had barely turned around when people entered the kitchen with arms laden with food. Things were put in Tupperware or packed away for later consumption. All I really had to do was worry about Lilah. Dano lit her candles and we sang happy birthday to her. She had the sweetest, most pleased little smile on her face. She utterly failed at blowing out her candles, and as soon as the flames were out (with help from Daddy and EJ) she grabbed a fistful of fondant bumblebee and set to work. She kept grabbing bugs, as did her cousins. It was physically painful to watch that cake get destroyed.

She opened her presents after the cake was decimated. My aunt and uncle got her two beautiful books, a lady bug dress, and pajamas. Mellisa got her a little purse with bracelets and a cute green rain coat. Nicola got her a pair of pants and two spring shirts. Rob got her a set of markers that could only color on the special paper they came with and a glow worm toy she fell instantly head over heels in love with. Erin got her a colorful dress. Kim, Adam, and the boys got her a pink piggy bank and a picnic table (Lilah loves all manner of small furniture) that can also be a sand and water table. Bob and Genevieve got her two adorable sun dresses, a knitted purple hat, and a gift card for pet supplies for our puppy-to-be. She got many cards, hugs, and lots of love from people who adore her.

People left one by one with thank yous from us and Lilah. I looked around the house after it had quieted down and expected it to be a total disaster. Other than her presents and lots of tissue paper, I saw that food had been put away, counters and tables had been wiped down, and boxes and bags had been stacked and set aside. I was blown away, humbled, and touched by the group of people who loved my child and had come together to make that day a special one for her and a non-stressful one for me. They helped without asking what I needed. Just saw a need and took care of it. I had never really felt like that before. Like part of a community.

Rob and Genevieve stayed and had dinner with us. We got take out from Star of India, drank beers and mead, and played Apples to Apples after Lilah finally collapsed for the night. We walked down the street to see the supermoon. Gen went to pick up Bob from work. He had stabbed his hand with a knife and couldn't work because his glove was filling with blood. She brought him back to the house and I cleaned, treated, and dressed the wound. He kept peeking at it and saying it looked like a mouse vagina. I told him if he didn't stop fooling with it I'd put bacon in his mouth while he slept (he's a strict vegan). He stopped. I fell asleep on the couch and eventually made it up to my bed and passed out, completely exhausted but feeling accomplished, happy, and loved by so many more people than I had ever thought possible. At that moment, I felt like my life couldn't get any closer to what I wanted it to be.