Happy (Belated) Birthday to Me

Last year my birthday weekend coincided with what we thought was the HPs exit to all things Afghanistan (as it turned out, he was able to come back for a few days and have Thanksgiving with us). My parents and three out of four of my brothers and sisters (four having visited a week or so earlier) came for the big farewell which also included a cake for my birthday. It was one of Aislinn's most memorable and favorite weekends. This year, as my birthday approached, she thought about last year more and more and wanted to throw the same party, with all of the family at our house.

I didn't want to discourage her, but I really didn't think my birthday was going to draw in the visitors this year, and we all needed to go north for haircuts, so I told her in passing that she could call her grandmother and arrange my birthday celebration.

Did she ever.

Not only did she invite everyone, but she decorated the house with streamers and balloons and flowers, and orchestrated (to an excrutiating degree her grandmother might say) present-buying and cake-baking/decorating. Unfortunately, I was too slow on the button to get pictures of everything, but here are some of the decorations:





And some flowers from the HP:



It makes me a little sad (but not surprised) to think that the happiest day she can remember is a year ago. But it makes me a whole lotta mo happy that at seven she can already plan a kick-ass party.