sing a song of birthdays

February can be kind of a crazy month for us.

Ok, well I guess that's making things a bit too dramatic. There's just this one week in February...where Emma and Abby both have birthdays.

This year was Abby's first birthday in America. Emma's last birthday in America was when she turned one. I wanted this to be a special year since all of our families were here to celebrate with us. We've made lots of new friends this year too, and I wanted them to be in on the birthday fun. How to combine my grand ambitions for a birthday party and not lose my mind?

Hmmm. It is a question. And I thought about it for a while.

Then I put off thinking about it.

Then I decided I had to start thinking about it or else I'd end up with a backyard full of kids with nothing better to do than dig in the dirt and a cake I'd picked up at Walmart the night before.

Not that there's anything wrong with a cake bought at Walmart.

It's just that when it comes to special occasions, my kids have learned to expect a lot from me. Ok, maybe the truth is, I expect a lot of me.

But I just didn't have it in me this year - to plan a party that included both Abby and Emma, to include everyone from great-grandparents to rowdy three-year-olds, and to have it be fabulous.

So I did something very uncharacteristic for me. I asked for help.

I asked my grandmother to plan a small party to celebrate with my immediate family. I asked Josh's mom to plan a small party to celebrate with his family. And then I farmed out the kid-party to someone else. (But more on that later!)

Here's the Abby & Emma Birthday Round-up, Part 1:

We went first to my Nana's house. She had prepared a delicious meal and a precious cake for my girls. Emma loved the heart sprinkles that decorated the perfectly moist cake. She did a great job sharing her birthday cake(s) with Abby. Abby also didn't seem to mind - not that she was terribly clued in, but still.

My Nana also got to play with Silas, which is saying something since only one other boy has entered our family by birth in two decades. We're a girl-producing family.
And then, right after that, my camera died. Note to self: birthdays are important. Please double-check batteries next time.

The next weekend, we went to Josh's parents house for another birthday bash. Debbie was wonderfully prepared with birthday crowns for the girls - and a princess crown for Samantha.
Abby's just...just...so stinkin' cute.
I was just hoping she'd hurry up and blow out those candles. There was cake to eat!And it was GOOD!
After a round of thank-you's, we all headed outside to play.
It was a beautiful day, perfect for lazing around outside. Abby, still with cake smudged on her mouth, wanted to give the bubbles a shot. It seems more like she was trying to eat them.
Emma and Josh's brother Jason are great friends and playmates. He's just a bit older than her, and loves to run and play. Perfect for Emma!
Pappy gives Abby some help with the bubbles as great-grandpa looks on:
Emma was ready to put some of her new gardening tools to work, so when Gigi offered to take her digging in the creek, they were out of there in no time!
Abby wasn't interested in digging, but jumping in the bouncy house was an attractive option.
Lots of digging brought little results. Not even a single bug to add to the bug jar!
With two birthday parties behind us, you'd think we'd be done - but actually, the biggest one was yet to come...