Twelve months ago, the baby in the incubator looked more like a broken bird than a plump polar bear. During those early days, we were so focused on making it through the next hour that we couldn’t even dream of the next week, let alone an entire year.
But before I knew it, I was mailing out birthday invitations and dreaming of coconut covered cupcakes and polar bear guestbooks. A month of naptimes were spent making bunting, pompoms, and paper snowflakes. Our Costco membership card was broken in, presents wrapped, fondant rolled, and an overflowing igloo cake was stuffed in the oven, cried over, and very nearly stomped on. (Never again!)
Preparations complete, we threw four dozen hamburgers and hotdogs on the BBQ, and spent a slightly-overcast July afternoon with a wide open front door and a home crammed with laughter. Because, in addition to celebrating a momentous milestone, we also wanted to thank a huge community of family and friends who had supported us over the course of this past year.
And if there’s one thing that this year has taught me, it’s that life is unpredictable and beyond precious; each second that we’ve been given is a gift to wrap our arms around and tightly cherish. Completely grateful for these past twelve months of crumbly, snot-smeared, everyday moments, there was nothing that I wanted more than celebrate just how big of a milestone this day truly was.
And so, without further ramblings from this mama polar bear, here are a few highlights from my little big guy’s first birthday:
Polar bears! how cute for a boys theme!