pen turns one

Time is getting away from me. But you should know that Pen did, in fact, turn one. We had a duck-themed party (mainly, so we could enjoy Pen toddling around saying "Quack! Quack!" on demand). We invited everyone who got us through the first year. My parents. Don and Nancy. Jen. Carlye and Steve. Tim. The Yamauchis. And our nanny, Sandra.

It turns out that the 1st birthday party is as much about you as it is about your child. It's your first major milestone as a new family. It's a reminder that You Made It through a big change.

We celebrated Pen. But we also celebrated the community who got us through the first year. Who brought us meals. Who took care of Pen. Who cut us slack. Who offered (welcome) advice and guidance. Who loved us by way of loving Pen. It was a Big Year. And we could not have done it without our family and friends.

The birthday party was...overwhelming. So much to take in. Oodles of children crowding around me while I opened Pen's presents. A house full of people in the living room, the kitchen and on the porch. There were so many surprising emotions about getting to this point. Elated that we made it through year one. A little twinge of grief that it's going so fast. Plenty of excitement about the little girl Pen is becoming.

But it was overwhelming in a good way. In the way that your cup overflows with the love of your family and your friends. In the way that you cannot put into words the happiness of watching your little girl in the very beginning of her life. In the way that it all feels too good to be true.

It was that kind of overwhelming.

From Pen Turns One