Monday, August 23, 2010

Birthday Girl

Jane's birthday party is this weekend, and she is really looking forward to it.


That might be an understatement.

One of my favorite birthday traditions with the kids is our much more low-key fancy family birthday dinner. Today is Jane's actual birthday, and so we had fancy dinner tonight.


It's just us, and we eat the birthday girl's favorite dinner on our very best china. We light candles, and, in a tradition we stole from the Metcalfs, we all say something we really love about the birthday girl. I know that sounds cheesy, but I think it should be required for birthdays. I LOVE it. I love telling people the things I really do like about them, but otherwise might not think to say, and I love hearing it of course. I love that our girls will think this is normal birthday behavior.

Anyway, this year Jane's favorite meal is macaroni and cheese with broccoli and fish sticks.

FANCY.

Last year she asked for beans and rice...she keeps us guessing.


She asked for chocolate cake with chocolate icing, and other than forgetting the salt, I think it went pretty well. Strangely, kids don't really complain about missing salt in their chocolate cake.


The birthday girl also got to open one gift, and specifically in this case that gift was a weird robotic duckling that Chase bought at Target about 20 minutes previously, and wrapped in a leftover moving box and some duct tape. Hurray for planning ahead!

The girls both loved it. Insanely loved it. It jerkily flaps its wings, emits creepy "quack" like sounds, and overall is just about the definition of inevitable toy recall.

It is currently nesting in Jane's bed, where Wren is also sleeping for the night, so she can help take care of it. It needs to be bottle fed, you know, like all baby ducks do.

And Chase and I have to go do the dishes, since FANCY dishes can't go in the dishwasher.

4 comments:

nuf said...

those pictures are beautiful! happy birthday jane!

christie said...

Happy Birthday Jane! It seems like just yesterday you were in a Moby wrap on your lovley mama like some Fremen baby.

I like this low-key tradition, as well as the Metcalf contribution. Really lovely.

Kelly said...

Happy Birthday Jane!

I love family birthday dinners, especially getting to pick the meal on your birthday. I always had green bean casserole for my birthday growing up, no matter what else I picked. Hey Gran and Pop, come over for my birthday dinner - we're having tacos and green bean casserole!

Aud said...

Do you guys say nice things about Ramona on her birthday too? You BETTER!!