celebrating

You wouldn't know it by this blog, but we did celebrate River's birthday last week.

I threw my back out at the beginning of the week, and I am still in a lot of pain. I am planning to go to the doctor on Monday if I am not significantly better in the morning, but in the meantime I am moving slow. Add to that the stack of 60 bibs that I sewed for Baby Vardo in the past few days, some major home cleaning, organizing, and decluttering, and a three year old who poops his pants twice in the same morning and tells me that he did it on purpose... It's been a hard week.

We celebrated River's birthday with my family the day before Easter. I made a cake (Maple Carrot with cream cheese frosting from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes), hanged up the birthday banner, and finished his birthday crown that he refused to wear. He just wanted his cake asap...

Much better.

Notice the groovy amber teething necklace from Tia Molly and Tio Andres. You can read about baltic amber's benefits here.

On Thursday, his actual birthday, two packages came in the mail from Grandma and Grandpa in California. One was full of books (thanks!), and the other was full of presents.

 Liam helped River open the gifts, an arrangement that surprisingly worked for both of them.

 And because Grandparents know better, there was also a special gift for Liam. He was thrilled.

Crystal, Simone, and Everett came over for a visit in the morning, and we shared blueberry muffins with more of that yummy cream cheese frosting.

It's still crazy to think that he is a one-year old.

On Friday, a package came from Jim and Janelle on the farm in Iowa. Janelle, this video is for you: