Birthday Week Marathon

Maliana ~

Began our week long celebration by making cupcakes for your upcoming birthday parties at school and daycare. To say we made a mess is an understatement. Ha.

As we hung out in the kitchen creating all of that chocolate-y goodness, here's a snippet of one of our conversations:
You: "I don't want to get married. I don't want to do sex. I just want to be a mom."
Me: *cringing ever so slightly* "Well, sex is for grown ups so you don't have to worry about that for a long time. It is pretty awesome to be a mom, though."
You: "Yeah, but I'll be even better!"
Me: "Aww...am I a mean mommy?" *grinning*
You: "No! You're the best mom!"
((insert BIG hug here))

Then you even helped me clean up the kitchen, completely unprompted. You sure do know how to make me smile. What a kid!

At bedtime that night, you wanted to look through your China memory book that I made for you when you first came home, to help make your story more concrete for your young mind back then. As you, Daddy, and I looked through the book and reminisced, you told your own story to us through the pictures. It was so neat to hear it from you, to know that it's become a part of you, as dear to your heart as it is to ours. 

On Wednesday (your birthday eve) we couldn't help ourselves and joined the Yersaviches for dinner at El Vacquero for an early celebration. We had lots of fun and noticed that you get significantly embarrassed by things like, oh...sticking a gigantic sombrero on your head and singing Happy Birthday to you in front of the whole restaurant. If this is the case at age 6, your teen years are going to a blast for Daddy and me! Mwahahaha!

Anyway, on the way home you were singing, dancing, and being very merry ~ a sure sign that you were thoroughly enjoying yourself and feeling pretty special. Once home, our presence was requested next door where the Szwabinsky's had a birthday surprise for you as well. So nice and thoughtful of them...our neighbors are great!

never a straight picture from the Yersavich kids

with the birthday senorita

mmmm...fried ice cream!

the Szwabinsky family

Once home, I continued to reminisce with you that it was your last night as a 5 year old and we talked about how it will now require 2 hands to show how old you are! I was really feeling the weight of your growing up as we got you ready for bed. It started to make me a little bit misty...then you said, "Mom, it's just not the same when you don't snuggle with me." You said this in response to Daddy putting you to bed that night so that I could wrap your presents and decorate the kitchen for your special surprise birthday breakfast in the morning. Huh. Well, I guess you may be physically and chronologically growing up...but maybe, just maybe, you're still my little girl at heart.  

And then...*drumroll please*...this brings us to your birthday morning!! I had everything set up and waiting for you when you emerged from the bedroom, all ready for school and in your new birthday shirt. Per the latest tradition, you busted into your new year, loved all of your decorations in the kitchen, and were so giddy (getting up 2 hours earlier than normal ~ eek!) You loved finally being able to put on your annual birthday shirt (fresh, 2014 edition, hot off the presses) and enjoyed playing with your new Peppa Pig toys until it was time to go to school. Over breakfast you mentioned, "This is the best birthday ever!" *smile* I just love you and all of our traditions! 

this is the face of excitement, waiting to
go out into the kitchen to see your
surprise...look at that smile!

front of your annual birthday shirt ~ 2014 version

back of your annual birthday shirt ~ 2014 version

Click HERE to watch your reaction to your birthday surprise!

taking in your birthday surprise

Click HERE to watch us sing Happy Birthday to you!

Later that afternoon, Lao Lao and I met up and went into your school together with all of the birthday cupcakes you and I had made earlier in the week. You had enjoyed half of them already with your daycare classmates and now it was time to enjoy the other half of the treats with your kindergarten class. You were so shy at first, but had agreed to wear your birthday crown from Mrs. Fitzpatrick all afternoon. Your class even sung Happy Birthday to you while you stood in front of the class and then your teacher gave you 6 birthday pinches and a hug to grow an inch. Everyone loved the birthday cupcakes and you were so proud. Your daycare teachers sent me an update from the day and told me that in response to being asked how it felt to be 6, you replied with "I have more energy and feel stronger!" Ha. Very cute.

Click HERE to watch your kindergarten class sing Happy Birthday to you!

Lao Lao came back over to our house where she gave you all of the presents she had brought home from NYC for you. Then we took a walk on our trail where you practiced jumping in *muddy puddles* (said with a British accent just like Peppa Pig) in your new Spiderman rain boots that she had brought you for your birthday. FYI: They worked great!

We headed out to dinner at your choice of restaurants, the Chinese buffet in Westerville (one of our favorites), then back home for bath and bed. Before we hit the hay, Brooklyn, Braycen and Brittany came over and surprised you with 3 cupcakes and candles and sung you Happy Birthday. It was all so very sweet. Once they were done, since both Brooklyn and Braycen's birthdays are also this time of year, we turned right back around and did the same thing for them with some of the chocolate cupcakes we had just taken to school. Too funny. Once again, I love our neighbors. What a great birthday!

Late that night, on the anniversary of your birth, I had some time to reflect and this is what I came up with...as shared on Facebook:
~ As another birthday winds down, I'm feeling grateful to Mali's first mama (and baba) for giving birth to this glorious child and giving me the opportunity to be Mali's second mama and take part in this wild adventure called life with her. She is nothing short of a miracle to her daddy and me.
Not a year will go by when I don't feel humbled by the thought of your first mama, your China mama, and the opportunity she has given our entire family to share your life with you. 

Friday we had breakfast with Lao Lao after speech and then Audrey Ayi came over to visit after school and surprised you with a birthday bin of surprises that she had hand-picked just for you. It was full of art supplies, books, and toys. Very cool.

so thoughtful of your ayi...I love that Audrey puts so
much thought into what she gives you.
it's all so very appreciated.

Saturday was the day of your big birthday party at the Chiller. We had pizza, cake, presents, with even a visit from Chilly Bear, and then (with 18 of your friends (and many of their parents)) went ice skating! Luckily not a single one of you broke any bones and it seemed like nearly everyone had a lot of fun trying out their skating legs. It was fun to watch many of your friends try ice skating for the first time and it felt like a big success to see their smiling faces during the experience. Initially though, you were so tired and feeling slightly under the weather, so the beginning of the party was a bit rough with you simply not acting like yourself at all. We later found out it was allergies (boo!). However once you got out on the ice, you perked up quite a bit (thank goodness). Daddy and I were both so proud of how well you shared your skate sled at the rink, and also how you remembered to look for and read the cards before opening each present. After the party, we headed home where some of our friends and family came over for more pizza and to play for a bit. You took off with your buddies and disappeared throughout the house, definitely feeling more in your element at home and in familiar surroundings. I asked you later what happened and how you felt at the ice rink during your party. You told me you felt shy because you'd never had a party there before. Sounds like you can be an awful lot like your mama and feel easily overwhelmed with big gatherings and too much activity. All's well that ends well though and when it was all said and done, it was a very nice celebration and you all seemed to have so much fun together. I am very grateful to have so many wonderful people in our lives.

a hug from Chilly Bear

only a few brave souls would go up and
stand with Chilly Bear
(the rest of your party guests were
huddled with their moms and
dads, crying ~ oops!)

the entire party crew after Chilly Bear left

quick snapshot with your cousins

Sunday was the finale of your birthday celebrations which led us to the Palace Theatre to see Shrek the Musical with your buddy, Jocelyn and her mom, Kristy. It was a longer musical than I expected but done really well and all for a good cause, to benefit Children's Hospital, and of course, the company was great!

such a fun and fancy theatre

evidently my flash was crazy bright...poor Jocelyn's eyes

here you are looking a little like a deer
in headlights as we waited for
the musical to begin

Shrek and the entire cast!

Then before bed that night, you helped Daddy for a bit in the kitchen and dubbed yourself his 'official taste tester', using your new apron from Aunt Lindsey, your new Uncle Jeff (as of 2/20/14 - Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Winland!), Cate and Ellie!

It's been a whirlwind of a week, a marathon of celebrations, and now that it's all come to a close I feel very content. I hope you enjoyed celebrating another trip around the sun as much as your Daddy and I did.

Love you, my "not so baby" girl.
XOXO
Mama