Ellie. 12.

It seems that for several years in a row, poor Ellie has had her birthday disrupted by someone from our family missing on her special day. Two years ago she and Mike were in California for her birthday (American Idol Finale), and last year Megan was gone somewhere (?). This year, Mike and the little boys were in Yellowstone National Park, and Luke went to a camp-out.

But Ellie still had a happy birthday and loved extending the celebration into Sunday when the boys returned home.

I loved Ellie's confidence to wear both birthday glasses and a birthday shirt to school. Had hats been allowed, I've no doubt she would have worn that too.

We're definitely related.

                                   

We all got a little burned out from Ellie's favorite birthday present. A karaoke machine that connects to an ipad and gives you pretty much any song you could possibly want. I couldn't help but send a video of Ellie and her friend singing away to my childhood friend, Karen. What we would have given to have had this at that age. (We used the old school blank tapes to record ourselves singing.)

Twelve years old is a milestone in the LDS church. It is time to leave Primary and join the Young Women's program.

Wow!

Ellie is TWELVE. 

NINE

"I can't believe I am nine. I am getting old."

 "I just want a cake that is a number 9 but is green."

"It doesn't feel any different being nine."

SEVEN

My baby is SEVEN.

My BABY is seven.

"I always wanted this scooter."

 Drew's cousin: "I want to eat the baseball that's on the cake."

Six Forever and Ever

Stating the obvious...I haven't blogged as regularly as I have in years past. But I didn't realize that I haven't even mentioned birthdays lately. In fact, I didn't even "review" the photos I took on Drew's birthday until last night, Joshua, Drew and I found ourselves scrolling through several weeks of photos. When I came to the ones of Drew's birthday, specifically of his birthday cake, he sighed, "My birthday was the best day ever. I loved it."

Drew's best day ever, and I hadn't permanently recorded it. Point taken.

A few things not to be forgotten about March 30th, 2015:

For months, Drew has taken to frequently calling Mike, "Mike Wazowski with One Eye." Additionally, as mentioned before, Drew has a unique love of stuffed animals. So when I saw this at a store several weeks before his birthday, I knew I needed to make the $5 purchase for Mike to gift to Drew.

Drew really only had one request for his birthday. BMX clothes. Wish/request granted.

The morning of Drew's birthday, I taught him the poem "When I am Six" by A.A. Milne. I adore hearing him recite it. Even weeks since his birthday, I hear him repeating it, and when he gets to the part, "Now I am six, I'm as clever as clever. I think I'll be six forever and ever" he gets a giant grin on his face and I wish in that moment time would freeze and there was a way to slow my baby's age. There isn't, so instead I smile and bask in the moment of his innocent childlike pride.

In the days leading up to Drew's birthday he couldn't decide what exactly he wanted to do; Something as a family, or a party with friends. Something with family AND a party with friends AND then go to a restaurant to eat dinner.  All seemed options to Drew, despite him being told repeatedly it was a party with friends, or something as a family.

Within just a few days before his birthday, Drew opted for a party. But then what type of party became an issue. (Because birthday parties have to have a theme???)

A football one or a Curious George one. I knew what I was hoping for, but I kept my mouth completely closed and let him choose. Finally he announced, "I want a George one." I was thrilled! As this is probably his last year to get away with a Curious George party, but he can have football ones for years to come.

(Sidenote: My children LOVE Curious George. Even Luke during one of his recent strep episodes laid on the couch watching hours of Curious George over a couple day period.)

We had big plans for a giant "Man in the Yellow Hat" to be printed with Mike's large printer for a "Pin the Hat" game. The morning of the party, the printer didn't work, but as I hung up the phone with Mike I saw hanging on our pantry door this portrait drawn by the birthday boy himself just days before.

I copied it and made extra hats and had our own personalized game. Which really, this little portrait attempt far exceeds any printed Google image I found.

(Too bad that at the party, Drew decided he didn't want to play this game after all.)

Drew had a fun party with a handful of his little friends. I didn't take photos, I enjoyed the moments instead. But I do kinda wish now that I had photos of them playing Curious George Character Chardes, Pass-the-Parcel, or Dance Like George.

I've always felt a sense of pride about my efforts each birthday to make home-made birthday cakes in the shapes, patterns and designs my children request. We've had a few good ones, intermixed with some truly terrible ones, but they have ALWAYS put a smile on my children's faces. (Well, except for the infamous Barney one I made when Megan was two and she looked at it completely straight-faced and asked, "What is that?") 

A couple days before Drew's birthday, Joshua and Drew were home sick from school. Joshua had been throwing up, and I had NO IDEA what or who was next for our family. (We had a bad 2-3 week  sick period around here.) I detest store bought cakes, especially for children's birthdays, with the exception of ice cream cakes, which I cheated and did for Ellie a day late last year after she'd spent her birthday in LA with Mike.

I mentioned a Dairy Queen cake to Drew and told him, perhaps we could go and see if they had a Curious George pattern they could make for him. Drew was soooo excited, that he requested we go right then and there. Which we did. Him in his pajamas, with a pale-sick face, (I'm a good mom like that.) and me feeling relief at the possibility of not having to make a birthday cake.

Lo and behold, there in the freezer of Dairy Queen was a Curious George cake made up, ready for sale. I think I felt such exhaustion at the previous few weeks of my life (remember post-surgery, two cases of strep, couple cases of stomach flu, etc.) I may or may not have started crying when I saw the perfect George cake staring back at me.

Drew loved it. I loved it. And I felt zero guilt the morning of his birthday not having a birthday cake to make.

We ended up the day as a family enjoying a picnic at a park.

According to the newly turned 6 year old, "It was the best day ever."

I loved Luke's sentiments on Drew's birthday when he exclaimed, "I love birthdays at our house. Even when it isn't mine. I just love birthdays."

I do too.

PS-I really should do a whole blog post about Megan's new vlogging hobby. She recorded a lot of great highlights of Drew's birthday, including Mike and me on a teeter-totter... Her vlogs will surely be treasures one day.

My Day

There are so many things I need to catch up on, on this blog. But first things, first...

One can not neglect for family history purposes to remember my 40th birthday. We wouldn't want generations from now to have no recollection or knowledge of the love I have for October 22nd.

My birthday.

Despite this birthday being my 40th, and stereotypically a much celebrated birthday, mine was very low key. Probably the lowest key birthday I've had in years and years, due to the timing of our NYC trip. (We returned home last night and some parts of real life today couldn't be neglected.)

But...
It was still a wonderful day. Ellie took this hilarious photo of me. It looks like it was posed and planned, but really I was laying on the couch doing nothing for a portion of the afternoon (it was my birthday remember!), and we started talking about birthday photos and lo and behold a photo op ensued.

Oh! And check out that new birthday shirt added to my closet this year! Loved wearing that and the hat for most of the day.

Of course, I couldn't neglect getting flowers for my mother...after all, she is the reason this wonderful day of the year even exists.

Happy Birthday TO ME.

Why yes, my birthday cake does have a hole in it you wonder. Why? Because upon my arrival home from NYC last night, my mother had kindly left the cake on my kitchen counter with a card stuck in it. I removed the card, and someone (who shall remain nameless, but is the only person older than me in this house) thought he should "fix the hole a bit," Which in cake-talk translates to "eat a little bite."

Like I said, my birthday was low-key and cake and ice cream was served for dinner. Yep! You read that right. FOR DINNER. I had a big lunch with Mike earlier in the day and wasn't hungry for dinner, Ellie had gymnastics, and time was running out. So... when the children queried what was for dinner I replied, "Cake and ice cream!" Drew yelped, "This is the best dinner ever."

I'm a good mother like that.
But I will add, an apple was cut up and served on the side.

Hooray for turning 40.
Having a birthday is THE BEST.

A Non-Birthday

Birthdays are a BIG deal.
A HUGE deal.
The absolute best day of any person's year.
Who couldn't possibly feel that way about their birthday?

Mike.

Every year as his birthday approaches I ask, "Anything you want for your birthday?"
His reply is always the same, "Nothing."
And then I purchase a bunch of "stuff" that he really doesn't care about, but politely opens and either consumes, wears or uses.

A couple of years ago I quit doing balloons for him. (A Sowby birthday tradition anyone else would be devastated to miss out on.)

Last year, I quit "trying" for him, and he chose a quiet day with activities of his own choosing.

This year. I got him NOTHING.
NOTHING.
Not one single present.
Not even Hot Tamales. Or Werthers. Or Orange Slices. Or cashews. Or Cinnamon Bears.
NOTHING.

He didn't even care.
And guess what?
I didn't really either.
(I thought I would, but I didn't.)

All he asked for this year was, "Good kids."
Which he didn't exactly get, if you consider Drew's behavior during dinner. Of course in front of our out-of-town cousin/dinner guest.

It was one of my favorite birthdays of his. So was last year.  Too bad it took me 17 years of marriage to figure that out. But alas I did...July 20th won't really be anything special around here anymore except for a dinner of his choosing (maybe), and ice cream pie (definitely).

Happy Birthday Mike.
This is how he feels about it for me.

 This is how he really feels about it.

Works for him.
But if he thinks this is the new norm for birthdays when October 22nd comes around, and it is time to celebrate ME, I won't be happy.

Birthday to Remember

I believe every birthday should be a birthday to remember, but I think there is something about Ellie's 10th birthday (today!) that she will remember always.

About a week ago, Ellie came to me with a notebook page, color co-ordinated and decorated in a very typical almost-10-year-old-girl way, with the events of her birthday spelled out. She had shopping, dinner at Village Inn, and cake and ice cream all time mapped out for her Tuesday afternoon/evening birthday celebration.

Last Friday morning, Mike called me. He had just gotten off the phone with my brother Casey, and as soon as he told me that, I knew the combination of him talking to Casey, and the timing of the American Idol season that it probably meant one thing. (Remember last year?)

Casey had "tickets" to the American Idol final singing competition, Casey no longer lives in California, but that didn't stop Mike from ever pausing to question whether or not he was going to go. (Last year Mike and Casey attended the actual finale.) As soon as Mike looked at the date and saw the tickets were for May 20th, he declared Ellie his travel partner. Yours truly had to drop all of her Friday morning plans and errands for the sake of finding flights for them. Mike invited his cousin and her daughter to attend with them. (It was going to be dads and daughters, but Mike's cousin's husband couldn't attend, so he went with his cousin instead! Fun-wish I had a photo of all 4 of them.)

I LOVE that Mike flying to LA, now 2 years in a row, with just days notice is so NOT him, but so him. I love that Mike is frugal, a workaholic, and organized and well-planned, yet he has now followed a particular passion of his twice and temporarily thrown all those traits of his out the window. Enough about Mike, it is Ellie's birthday.

Mike told Ellie on Friday night that she was going to go to American Idol with him. She was very excited, but a part of her wondered/questioned/worried about "missing" her birthday.

Even Luke mentioned a couple of days ago, "I love birthdays, even other peoples. I'm sad we won't have balloons, and presents and cake." And today, Drew mentioned, "Is it really Ellie's birthday? I don't like it."

Mike and Ellie flew to LA on Monday night, and will return early on Wednesday morning. I have to say, it has been a very strange day today. I LOVE birthdays, and it has been odd to not see my child on their birthday. But on the flip side, receiving these photos throughout the day, have made me smile.

(Waiting in line with Cousin Katie to claim their tickets on Tuesday morning.)

(Cousin Karena took the girls to Starbucks to get a snack while Mike held the place in line. Apparently, Ellie got a free hot chocolate and a cake pop!)

(I wish I had a photo of Ellie holding up her sign. We could see her blue sign being held up right after Jena's performance! So cool. Side note to remember: On Sunday night when Ellie was making her sign, on one part of her poster she wrote, #americanidol. Mike came into the room and asked, "Why have you written number American Idol?" He got all sorts of negative feedback from the three oldest children, "It's a hash tag Dad, haven't you noticed that on all the American Idol shows you've been watching this season?" #mikesisnotintosocialmedia)

We can do a pretend birthday tomorrow, but I think today will remain the highlight! At least we think...Ellie isn't one to show a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. 

Happy 10th Birthday Ellie!

Sick or Not, A Birthday Must Go On!

We were having a funny discussion last night about birthdays, and Mike declared, "Tiffany, you are not normal in this area." Megan on the other hand sided more with me about birthdays being important and that they should be a big deal. Obviously not everyone feels the same way as I do about the importance of celebrating birthdays. (Meaning, I will likely never be out of town on a child's birthday, nor will we ever not have presents and festivities to celebrate.)

That being said, you can imagine how I felt last Thursday morning, Joshua's 7th birthday, when he woke up sick. It was a sad day. I'm not sure which one of us shed more tears.

Although Joshua spent a good chunk of his day on the couch, it was interspersed with some play time, arguments with Drew, and questioning of how much longer till his party.

The football party did go on! It was too difficult to reschedule, and as it was an outside party I wasn't too concerned about the sharing of germs. (I'm a good mother like that.)

Joshua request a Green Bay Packers cake and so I put my mediocre cake skills to the test once again. One of these days, I'm going to have a beautiful, custom STORE-bought cake of the child's choosing, instead of thinking my own creations will satisfy me. However, upon Joshua seeing the finished product he declared, "Wo! That's awesome." So then again, maybe I'll skip the beautiful, custom STORE bought cakes, and provide this labor of love each birthday.

(just try to ignore the thoughts of all those sick germs being blown across the cake...)

Also to be noted, Grandpa Peter sat atop a horse for the first time in his life. He lasted mere seconds longer than my first (and last) time upon a horse 7 years ago. We're each confident in many areas of our lives, but sitting on top of a potentially moving animal is not one of those areas in which we display confidence.

(In my dad's defense of only lasting mere seconds atop the horse, he (my dad, not the horse) does have a bad cough, and I think he was concerned his cough would startle the horse. It was just as a cough was coming on that he declared he must get off. Although I think he was thankful for the cough, I don't think he would have lasted much longer on top of that thing, cough or not.)

By evening Joshua perked up and it was almost as though he hadn't been sick. Except, it didn't last too long...by Friday afternoon Joshua was back on the couch, and by Friday evening Joshua was at Insta-care being told he had Strep throat.

Like I said, I'm a good mom like that to spread Strep throat germs around children at a birthday party, and children in his classroom on Friday. Oops.

Strep or not, this boy of mine is seven, and he's pretty swell to have around.

Being FIVE

There's something about Drew that just makes me smile. Of course all of my children make me smile, but there's just something about Drew at this stage in his little life that has all of us wrapped around his little finger. He endears himself to all of us in a way that I suppose only the youngest of a family can.

I was surprised how much I didn't tear up today thinking about my baby turning FIVE! I so love the little boy he is becoming, and maybe I'm doing better at embracing and accepting what is.

Although having said that, as I tucked him into bed tonight, and kissed his little cheeks, I did blink away a tear at how quickly FIVE years have passed. I reminded Drew that even if he was FIVE years old now, he was still my baby and always will be. I told him he'll still be my baby at 55 to which he replied, "Will I still be alive when I'm 105 after I'm dead?" The moment was over, and so I planted a kiss on his big FIVE year old cheek and wished him a final Happy Birthday greeting.

Celebrating FIVE is a lot of work. Especially when the birthday was on a Sunday and it got spread out over two days. Ugh.

Dance games and pirate games, treasure hunts with bandanas, swords and gold (and a pinata) and cake and ice cream for a group of children made up his simple "Pirate Party" that he had been anticipating for weeks. (Man have my party-doing skills gone down hill over the years...)

My cake skills on the other hand have not decreased. They really couldn't get any lower. But Drew and Joshua were mightily impressed with my efforts, and everyone else gave polite compliments.

The real birthday on Sunday brought presents, a birthday breakfast with grandparents and cousins, church (supposedly a prayer in his classroom that included him praying for, "Bless we can all be happy on our birthdays."), and a birthday dinner with grandparents.

In Drew's words, "I liked my birthday."
That's what matters.

Happy Birthday Drew!