Little Big

We had an amazing time swimming on the Fourth of July. Elias experienced his first time in the water and was a little hesitant at first. As long as I held him close and moved into the water slowly he was fine, and soon he was splashing around and smiling broadly at his sister. She stayed near us on the steps and practiced putting her face in the water with the help of her new glasses. Look carefully in the last two photos – she’s giving an underwater thumbs up! What a great day.

Isobel’s fifth birthday party is proof that the simplest, thriftiest birthday party can still be the best party of all. She turned five just a few days after Elias was born and we had the party just days after that. Anthony’s parents did all the heavy lifting as I was still recovering from surgery and taking care of a newborn while Anthony took care of the kids, the house, and myself. Anthony’s Grandma offered her wonderful backyard, Grandpa grilled hotdogs, Grandma took care of set up and decorations. We just showed up, and that was wonderful, as it was all we could manage.

This party really goes to show that it’s not about all the Pinterest-worthy themed cupcakes that took three hours, or the perfectly matched twee decorations, or the elaborate custom gift bags. All you need is your favorite people, some gifts, and a cake for your fifth birthday party to be the best day ever.