Marissa's 4th Birthday

Marissa's 4th birthday was today, and finally, she had a great birthday.

Prior birthdays have been frought with illness and tantrums -- for her first birthday she had eartubes put in, for her second she had her adenoids taken out. (Not on the exact day, but close enough to it that it extended over her birthday, or she was in need of surgery and was miserable for her birthday.) For her third she fussed and was put in timeouts all day -- Wayne and I were exhausted and thought that our second child would never actually have a special birthday.

Finally...her fourth birthday, and overall she had a great day.

It started with a smile and us both whispering happy birthday to her. She got dressed for Wayne and nearly had a moment when I was dropping her off this morning. She was clingy and didn't want to be at KinderCare on her birthday. But then while I was trying to leave another parent dropped his child off, who is a bit older than Marissa, while she cried and clung and sobbed after he left. Marissa looked at her, looked and me and said, "I don't need to have a big cry." And she gave me a kiss, a hug and a wave good-bye. What a big girl!

I stopped by over lunch and dropped off cupcakes for her class, and got to see her and give her another little hug. For their afternoon snack they had cupcakes and sang her "Happy Birthday."

I was already home when they all came home, with a dining table filled with presents from us and her Floria grandparents (well timed, Dad -- thanks!) She joyfully ripped them all open -- with no "help" from Lindsey for the first time -- and at one point stood up and said, "This is the best birthday in the whole world!"

I had bought little delectables from Lund's and we put candles in her little dessert and sang happy birthday. She blew them all out on her third try.

She played with her toys for a while, watched her new videos, then off to bed it was, with her new dolly by her side.

All in all a very enjoyable day...for everyone.