The November Birthday Club

It’s been a marathon, but not the kind I had to run with my feet, just my heart. From 1 to 97, we covered them all, starting with Bethany’s 1st birthday, then Grandpa’s 97th, Daddy’s on Veteran’s Day, Zac 2 days later, and last but not least Nathan’s. Five family birthdays in 12 days, not to mention at least half a dozen friends who also celebrate birthdays between 1 November and Thanksgiving. One birthday cake, two dozen cupcakes, and countless feet of wrapping paper and ribbon later…all the presents have been opened and every candle has been blown out with all the wishes made. The Church family November Birthday Club!

A Blue Birthday

Nathan had a blue birthday; Thomas blue that is. It was a beautiful blue-sky day complete with a blue balloon and lots of Thomas the Tank Engine…pajamas, books, a 3-D deluxe play set and best of all, TrackMaster tracks and trains! However, there was nothing blue about Nathan’s mood. He danced from morning to night, starting with the wiggly dance of excitement that it was finally his birthday, to soft-shoe dancing with his singing Winnie-the-Pooh card, and ending with a waltz in Mommy’s arms in the blue twilight of the evening.

“Mommy…”
“Yes Nathan?”
“Sing Bocelli, Mommy”
“Okay Nathan.”
It always starts like this. His favorite lullaby is Andrea Bocelli’s version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” It’s our sooth-the-savage-Nathan song. When he was a tiny baby, I’d sing it to him and rock/dance him around the living room. I guess the memories and feelings stuck with him. “So take my hand, take my whole life too for I can’t help falling in love with you…” When I thought I couldn’t love another child as much as I loved Zachary, along came Nathan. From his first breath, the first moment I held him, the first time he looked into my eyes, the first moment he opened his tiny fist and laid his finger tips against my chest, I couldn’t help falling in love with him, and I knew I’d give him my life.

On Nathan’s birthday this year I had the privilege of walking hand-in-hand with my son downtown to pick out his blue balloon. That night we danced in the living room to his favorite song. With his arms and legs wrapped around me and his head on my shoulder, we waltzed to Andrea Boccelli and the love between a mother and a son…in the blue twilight of Nathan’s third birthday. Take my hand son, I love you.

Big Boy Birthday

In 2004 our wish was granted, our dreams came true, and our prayers were answered with the arrival of our first bouncing baby boy. I hope I never forget the unspeakable joy of cuddling and nursing that warm bundle of love in front of our wood burning stove on cold nights. We covered him with a million kisses a day, and poured every ounce of love we could into him. In the evenings when he was fussy and wouldn’t let me put him down, his Daddy would happily take on dinner duty while he reassured me that my most important job was to hold and love that baby because there would come a day when he wouldn’t want to be held anymore.

Today that bundle of joy turned 5. This was his big boy birthday with a big boy football, a big boy bicycle, and bigger clothes. Despite the celebration of the day Zac is still a curious mix of little and big boy. My greatest joy on this day was not watching his little man hands cradle the football or watching his imaginative play with his fishing adventure set, or even watching him learn how to ride a bicycle on which he has to stretch his legs to reach the peddles. No, my greatest joy was when he walked into our room this morning with the announcement that he was five today, then, without another word, he crawled into our bed, leaned over and wrapped his arms around me, put his head on my shoulder, and settled in for a good long cuddle. Happy birthday little man!

Butterfly Birthday

This morning the children and I ventured downtown for a special pink birthday balloon for Bethany. With the balloon securely fastened to her stroller via pink curly ribbon, Bethany was all smiles as we proceeded to the park. On the way, I spied a butterfly on the sidewalk. When I bent down to investigate, it climbed on my finger so that both of us could get a closer look at each other. It was a beautiful small butterfly with butter yellow wings outlined in the same pink as Bethany’s balloon and with a few tiny pink circles on the lower wings. What a treasure! The boys crowded around to inspect with the usual exuberance little boys have of all things in nature. Bethany waited patiently for me to hold the butterfly closer for her to see. As I stretched my finger towards her, the butterfly made it’s most exertive move yet. It hopped onto the pink button on Bethany’s jacket. Imagine our delight! Bethany giggled as the butterfly stretched its wings a few times, just long enough to say “Happy Birthday Bethany,” and then fluttered into the breeze. Happy first birthday baby girl. May the magic of the yellow and pink butterfly be with you always.