Three years ago, today, at 5:58pm I held Matilda for the first time. Labor started on July 3, 2008 while at a movie (Wanted) with Ed after dinner at Red Robin. I refused to believe it was real labor. I was up pacing and laboring at home all night. Ed knew it was the real deal. He got a little sleep and we checked into the hospital the next morning. 10 hours later, just in time for dinner and after nearly 2 hours of pushing, my first daughter came into this world, face up, and we instantly fell in love.
For her first birthday, we celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa in Door County with presents and a pink lady strawberry cake with a pink strawberry coolwhip frosting. I couldn't make a traditional buttercream because she couldn't eat dairy yet. She wasn't even walking. She barely tasted the cake, mostly just rubbed it in her hair and enjoyed all the extra attention.
For her second birthday, we went up to Door County again and celebrated with Grandma, Grandpa and Grandpa Mike. She was not old enough to understand that her birthday was approaching or what that meant, but when we came into her room singing "Happy Birthday" that morning, she knew it was going to be a special day. She had a little party with tons of presents and I made her a yellow confetti cake with chocolate fudge frosting, which she couldn't wait to get her hands on. She tried both the cake and the frosting that year and had left overs the next day. That was also the first time Evelyn ever had cake. She didn't hesitate at all.
Today, she turned 3. She's been talking about her birthday for a month. We had a party at home with Grandma, Grandpa, Grandpa Mike, Uncle Chase, Aunt Natalie and Boston. She was excited to see the decorations I made. She was delighted with her presents wrapped in princess paper. I think her favorite present was the Princess Tiana Barbie doll Evelyn gave her. She knew today was special for her from the moment she woke up and she can tell you how old she is.
She had a chocolate fudge cake with ganache and raspberry filling and raspberry cream cheese frosting with a few gold sprinkles. She LOVED blowing out her candles and demanded that we put another candle on her slice of cake before she would try to eat it. She had a blast being surrounded by family and playing with her cousin and little sister. She told us this was her "best birthday ever!" I'm so excited about how much she has learned in just three years and delighted by the little girl she is growing into. We are more in love with her every day.
My darling girl, I hope all your wishes come true!
The curlers didn't all stay in her hair all night long, but she was relatively tangle-free when she woke up with adorable little ringlets! And she seemed to actually sit still and have fun while I put the rollers in before bed. :)
Three years ago, today, at 5:58pm I held Matilda for the first time. Labor started on July 3, 2008 while at a movie (Wanted) with Ed after dinner at Red Robin. I refused to believe it was real labor. I was up pacing and laboring at home all night. Ed knew it was the real deal. He got a little sleep and we checked into the hospital the next morning. 10 hours later, just in time for dinner and after nearly 2 hours of pushing, my first daughter came into this world, face up, and we instantly fell in love.
We're busy getting ready for someone's birthday party, but Evelyn is already having a blast!
