birthday weekend

hey baby girl,

well, in typical mom fashion i'm a bit late on this post.  last weekend was your mom & dad's birthdays!  we had quite a busy weekend and you were such a trooper traveling all over the place and seeing so many people!  

we started out the birthday celebrations on friday night with grandma & grandpa.  they brought over a yummy dinner and cake and we celebrated me turning 30 (yikes!) and your dad turning 32 (he's the old man).  this past week you've been a little fussy during the evening hours and your grandparents are ever so patient with you during this time.  they always take turns holding you so we can have a break, eat, etc.  

saturday morning was your dad's birthday.  we started the celebration with a "man cake" of donuts & sparkling candles.

  

then aunt kristen, uncle mike & nathan, kylie, & brianna came over for breakfast!  aunt kristen and i have been friends since we were young (i honestly can't even remember when we met--it seems like we've always been friends!) and in high school we had a tradition of making pancakes in bed for each other on our birthdays.  she brought cinnamon roll pancakes for our birthdays this year! what a great way to start out this new decade.  this was the first time you met your "cousins" nathan, kylie, & brianna.  the girls loved seeing "baby nora" and nate said you were "so cute"!  i'd be perfectly happy if you married him or brooks one day (just saying!) 

ky & bri giving you all the dolls and loveys they could find!

after our cuddles, breakfast, and playdate with the favia's we started getting ready for our evening. since it was both of our birthdays, we wanted to go somewhere special for dinner.  we went to balena and had delicious dinner, wine, and dessert!  grandma and grandpa came to watch you and you slept most of the time for them!  of course you sleep for them and not us! what's that all about, girl!?  this was the first time we left you and although it was soooo hard, it was a much needed night out!  that night you slept for 4 hours straight! (it's the small things we celebrate these days!)  i felt much better about leaving you since you were with my parents.  i knew you were in good hands.  

don't worry, the celebrations continued on sunday for MY birthday.  your dad had a special day planned for us.  we started out with sleeping in (WOO HOO!), then cake and presents at 10am (totally normal, right?!) and we were off for our adventure.  we started with breakfast in lincoln park at jam & honey, a fave spot of ours.  nothing says happy birthday like banana nutella pancakes!  after pancakes and coffee we ventured into bucktown for margaritas at big star, another fave location of ours.  it was such a beautiful day that sitting outside having a margarita was exactly what the doctor ordered!  

all dressed up for our birthday adventure!

whenever people asked what i wanted for my 30th birthday, all i could say was "i have everything i could ever want and need".  i have the most supportive family, a handsome and loving husband, and the most beautiful gift of all, you...my daughter.  this day was extra special because you are now in my life.  a year ago today your dad and i were just thinking about how we were ready to expand our family and now here you are and we couldn't be any happier!  you bring us the most joy and love and truly are the greatest gift.  there are some days where i just look at you and think, "you really are mine!" 

thank you for making my 30th birthday the best birthday yet!  i look forward to sharing all my birthdays with you!

all my love,

mommy