JAN’ 21

17

Another birthday is done and dusted. I was too busy all week to really dwell on the bittersweetness of this milestone. Which is good, I think. I like the idea of making the most of the birthdays that we'll have with her while we're still so much at the center of things. Her spirit's centripetal force grows in strength day-by-day and, eventually, it will no longer be "us" at center stage. Just her. Which is as it should be so I am going to do my level best to squeeze every last bit of parental pleasure out of now.

Willa had three birthday celebrations. One at school. One with her grandparents on her actual birthday this past Thursday. And, one, yesterday, with a few of the families on our block. They were all so sweet and special in their own ways.

At school, the birthday child gets to pick two friends to help make the birthday cake. Parents are invited to send along some fruit to accompany the cake. So, for Wednesday, I made a sugar-free blueberry compote that I heard was very well-received by the children. After school, some dear family friends stopped by later that afternoon for a quick visit and to deliver gifts for Willa.

On Thursday, we ordered pizza (a rare treat in our household), I made a big salad and baked a Chinese bakery-style chiffon roll cake with whipped cream and fruits. Davis’ parents brought balloons and a present or two. We had good weather and were able to celebrate outside.

Yesterday, we threw a Christkindlmarkt-themed party in the backyard. We invited the twins and their parents who live next door, another family of four down the street with whom we get on, and an older couple who live just across the street and are really accessory grandparents to Willa. We moved all of our Christmas decorations into the yard: lights, garlands, and the tree. We played German Christmas choral music over speakers. Pots of glühwein for adults and an alcohol-free version for kids were kept piping hot on an electric dish warmer. Davis grilled the knackwurst and garlic bread-havarti grilled cheese sandwiches. Once everything was cooked, he turned the grill down and slid in a casserole of potato salad to keep all the food warm. Homemade sauerkraut and a piquant German mustard rounded things out on the savory end of things. Once the children had lunch, we got them set up at two picnic tables with the supplies to build gingerbread houses. While the houses were setting up, we gathered to sing "Happy Birthday" to Willa and passed around platters of homemade Schoko-küsse and stollen. Someone brought a jump rope so the kids spent the rest of the party making up games with the rope and, eventually, ran off to the yard next door. Meanwhile, we adults enjoyed decent stretches of uninterrupted conversation.

So much love this week.