celebrate

In our family, birthdays are a big deal. It's not that they call for big parties. When the kids are young, there are friends, sure, but typically just a handful of close ones. Among the adults, the celebration most often centers on family.

We pull together on that special day: the person in the position of great honor is made to feel like it is her day. If she likes chocolate, there'll be chocolate. Or, if she is like Primrose and likes lemons, there'll be a lemon cake. We can't always all gather for a birthday, but for a grandchild, you can be sure that we all try our hardest.

And so it is no surprise that on Primrose's first birthday, the family descends. There are the grandparents who live in Chicago. And the grandparents who split their time between Florida and Minnesota. Then there is the young family in Madison -- all four of them. And there is me. And Ed. And a couple of best friend families who live in town. With babes. We all come together today to wish the girl a happy year ahead.

My post will be entirely on this topic because my day was entirely on this topic. Pictures here will be of people you know. (The others belong to a separate family album.)

Primrose, time to get dressed!






("What's mom doing??" Let's go see!)






You want to ride over? I can do that!






Mom is putting the finishing touches on your cakes!






Dad and one grandpa bring in the balloons!






The two youngest cousins eye each other...






This is the young couple responsible for it all!!






Guests arrive. Snowdrop has been so excited all week long about this party. She and her family drove in to Chicago yesterday. Ed had been sick for several days, but yesterday he rallied and this morning, before dawn, he caught the bus to Chicago to join us.






Snowdrop brings her share of presents...






The cousins, all munching on toddler crackers.






Lunch includes quiche. Primrose loves eggs, which is terribly amusing as we now have three dozen eggs at the farmhouse. The cheepers are laying like crazy. I must bring this child here for a few weeks so we can make a dent in the egg supply! (Snowdrop helps with the balloon.)











... a classic: with egg on her lovely face.






My younger girl...






And now is the time for cake. Three cakes actually, but only one gets the important candle. YOu have to wonder what the little girl is thinking!






("Are you sure you can blow that out, mom?")





THE family.






Older sister joins in to admire, to love...






Primrose does a fine job on the cake. Most went in the mouth, some went on the floor, some went everywhere else.






Presents!






Snowdrop, keeping an eye on things...


 



The Madison young family...






And unfortunately, there comes a time when you have to say good bye.






The wonderful thing about birthdays is that they mark what's to come, not what has gone by. Have a great year ahead, rather than -- my, the best is behind you.

As Ed and I take the bus back to the farmette, I have this whiff of nostalgia. We used to travel this way from Chicago, in the years when he and I flew to distant places from that city's O'Hare airport. We'd try for the front seat of the bus because there's where he could best stretch his long legs. We'd keep an eye out for seniors, because those front seats belonged to them, should they board the bus.

These days, we're the seniors. Returning from a birthday celebration of a grandkid.

A beautiful celebration of Primrose.