One Year Old! (three months ago...but whatever)

So I think it's about time that I tell you about Sweet B's birthday party! Yes, I do realize that it was almost exactly three months ago, but hey, we've been busy over here.

I wanted it to be a big party, and not your average one year-old party, since we were celebrating something that was a huge deal, and she didn't have a true baby shower in her honor. I invited everyone who had been encouraging to me in my journey who lived nearby. I wished that I could have invited all of my friends who had encouraged me, but most of them live far away. I invited friends from my old workplace and friends from hubby's tennis clubs and our neighbors and church friends and even her old NICU nurses. Basically, anyone who had said a kind word to me or Sweet B received an invitation. We ended up with around fifty or sixty quests, which was just perfect. Considering we have only lived here for four years, we think that's pretty good. I am not one to throw parties, so I can imagine that this will probably be her biggest party for a long time.

My beautiful mom and Sweet B.

Sweet B's NICU nurse. On this exact day last year, this nurse met her in her first minutes of life, took care of her, and prepped her for her stay in the NICU. I was honored that she drove so far to come and see our B.

Hubby's mom flew in and prepared meatballs and other appetizers. She had a fabulous time!

This is my dad and step-mom. I wish I had gotten a picture of B with her step-dad! He helped us with driving around the get things, setting up everything, and made sure the drinks were very organized!

My mom and I had been planning the party for a while, so we had most of the details already ironed out when she and my step-dad arrived. I had decided to stick with the rainbow theme and bought Martha Stewart decorations at the store. They weren't as beautiful as they looked in the package, but they worked.

I put several of Sweet B's mementos from her NICU days on our wall mirror and I used glass marker to write on it.

We ended up accidentally ordering two cakes from Costco, but we ended up needing them both, so it was perfect.

We had such a wonderful time. Nearly our entire family was here. Hubby's mom had flown in so that was a real treat. My poor grandad tripped in front of the grocery store and ended up in the hospital in our town right before the party, and spent the time during the party in bed with stitches in his forehead and doped up on drugs, but he tried! I felt so bad. Sometimes we really are bad luck! Anyway, everyone was just so full of happiness for Sweet B and it was the best time that I had ever had at a party. I was so proud of her and having mostly all of our family in one place was very special for us.

The children who came spent time playing with each other and writing in sidewalk chalk in the front yard. I also got them mini jars of bubbles. They loved all of the pretty trees and all of the room to run and play.

We spent the party talking with everyone and watching the slide show I had on our TV of Sweet B's first year. I chose perfect music to go along with the slide show with many sentimental songs as well as a few fun ones. Sweet B spent her first half of the party bawling because she was afraid of all of the people and she was hungry. I tube-fed her in my bedroom and that seemed to help a bit. She ended up wearing a total of three dresses during the party. The first one was too hot. The second one got wrinkly and she threw up on it. The third one was a gift from my friend, which ended up being the final dress.

We found out the Sweet B is a sugar addict. How can this be for a child who doesn't eat (literally)? Well, I scooped up some frosting from her cake, put it in her mouth, and this child began screaming with joy! She was no longer shy at all and lost all of her inhibitions. She spent the rest of the party laughing and yelling. She sat in her highchair by the door and greeted people as they left. Her entire face was full of frosting and I swear my dad slipped her some cake even though I made him promise not to do it as she could choke.

Sweet B and her great-grandmother.

I love this one. This is my mom and my dad with Sweet B. (See how crazy she is?)

 Me (orange shirt), Sweet B, and her cousins.

We were left with a huge mess, lots of leftovers including cake, and a lot of gifts. We were all exhausted, especially my mom and I who had planned it all and gotten everything ready, but we were so happy. It was a true success, and even though Sweet B won't remember it, I will.

My mom and step-dad funded the party, and it cost more than I could have ever spent right now. They gave Sweet B and me an incredible gift in this party, and I will always remember it with fondness.

When we sang "Happy Birthday" to her, I couldn't even look at anyone because the tears felt so strong in my eyes. I know that all mothers feel joy at their child's first birthday party. But this joy is different. This joy is celebrating a baby who I was told wasn't going to make it since she was only six weeks in the womb. This joy was celebrating a baby who I was told was too small to live and that I should terminate. This joy was celebrating a baby who was born at one pound eleven ounces, is on a feeding tube, has several therapies each week, but is thriving, despite all of the obstacles stacked against her. I'm so lucky to be able to feel this different joy that most moms don't get to experience.

It was a hard first year. But we did it. And you Sweet B, are thriving. (Check out that picture on the TV of her first diaper being changed by me :)