Can’t you just tell by the look on her face as she inhales a chocolate kiss, that these are the good times? Pure joy. I forget sometimes to stop and enjoy good things like chocolate kisses (while I’m throwing them into my mouth while doing laundry, picking up toys, dishes…). Oh, to sit outside on an antique quilt (that our friend’s friend had to part with because her jewish mother had decided that the traditional windmill pattern looked like swastikas), in the dreamy shade of a gigantic and ancient pine tree, surrounded by a few close friends, and enjoy a chocolate kiss. Its the way summer should be. This is the stuff memories are made of.
It all happened at a very, very fun birthday party. Just a few of her closest friends (4 of them, but one was sick, so it was just 4 kids total and their families – how fun! How nice to have conversation with other parents while the kids are off playing with each other and not melting because there is too much going on. IT WAS A DREAM! People should have parties like this more often.) I was very excited. I made the birthday girl a crown, and I made her Baby Summer a crown too. I think I was more excited than she was, and I could tell, because she said, “Zanne, this is very nice, but it is too tight for me and won’t fit my head.” Ok, but at least I got a picture of it on her lap.
I did make her this twirly skirt. A few weeks earlier I had asked her about her favorite colors and without thinking she’d replied, “Orange and Red”. Done. Cute little skirt that she wore a few days later, when she said to me, “Zanne (don’t you love how she always addresses me by my name, and the ennunciation is WILD!), thank you for my skirt. Your gifts are wonderful.” Thank you Birthday Girl. You, too, rock.
Doesn’t Baby Summer look fabulous in her birthday crown?
The activities were fun, and safe with just 4 kids, smashing ice chunks with real hammers to get the goodies out. No one was hurt during this smashing fest.
The egg hunt lasted just a few minutes, but opening each egg could last a lifetime. One can never have enough chocolate kisses or sparkly barettes.
Pop Pop was here for the weekend too. Everyday we wish our family lived close by. Iz loves all of her grandparents, talks about them all the time, talks to them on the phone, if only we could visit more often. Oh, I’ve posted enough about living closer to family, but I think about it all the time. We are fortunate to have close friends that live near by that act as our extended family. Because of them, Iz has “siblings” she can see frequently and aunts, uncles and even grandparents. We celebrate birthdays, have fun “family” dinners, drop in to play. It reminds me of growing up with my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. Dear family, please come visit us!
That was lovely. I have a few tears. Miss you all so much. Hope you have a wonderful time. XXOO