Happy Birthday to me

Yesterday was my birthday, and it was such a nice day. We didn't have much planned, which was so nice since I've been so busy with all the last minute appointments and a huge to-do list to prepare for the baby's arrival. The kids really tried to make it a special day for me as well. It was a preschool day, and Brynn did better than usual getting ready (great way to start the day!). Then Collin and I ran some errands together and he also did better than usual (ie, he only tried to jump out of the cart once, and he pretty much stayed away from the breakables in the stores aisles). Then we picked up Brynn and met Dave for lunch. After lunch, Dave took Collin to work with him, so that Brynn and I could work on a few projects together. She LOVES doing craft or decorating projects with me! She painted a frame that we are going to decorate, we made paper leaves and wrote things we are thankful for, and we started painting a little plaque that we will add her initial to for her room. That afternoon, I got my hair done (another thing to mark off of my pre-delivery checklist). Brynn spent the next hour or two giving me surprise presents. She doesn't totally get the gift-giving concept however. She raided our gift bag stash, and used the tissue paper that was out from some gifts that I had received earlier in the day, and she went around the house collecting "gifts" to give me. She gave me the wooden Daisy Duck thing she had colored. In fact, she gave it to me 3 times. She also gave me all of my own shoes from our shoe bucket. In fact, in the midst of her gift giving spree, I had to do some serious persuading that I really did need a pair of shoes back so we could go to dinner. She made me promise that I would give them right back to her after we got home, so that she could surprise me with them. I also got Collin's stuffed animal and a few of his hats and Dave's basketball. She gave me some of the gifts that some friends had just brought over for me. She also gave me her favorite stuffed animal--the cat she sleeps with every night. I thought it was so sweet, since I knew it was her favorite. When I thanked her, she got really nervous and said "Well, you can't keep it of course, because it is my favorite." She was relieved when I reassured her that I just wanted to hug her special cat and then give it right back to her. It was actually very sweet! She made up her own birthday songs for me all day and she would occasionally hide somewhere and pop out to surprise me with a big "Happy Birthday!" She definitely did her part to make it a fun day for me! Dave also made it a great day. I didn't have to cook all day, and he helped out a ton with the kids, and made sure they were treating me well. He got me some beautiful pink roses and a gift card so that I can get some new clothes after I've had the baby. He knows I am so ready to be out of maternity clothes. I also got lots of calls, visits, and well-wishes from family and friends, and felt so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.