Lorelei’s birthdays will always be a bittersweet thing for me. This year, due to our crazy start, we had a nice family dinner on her actual birthday, but decided to postpone the celebration until the spring. When it was warmer and there were less cold and flu germs floating around. HA! For those who remember last year and her “Winter ONE-derland” party in the middle of February… it was 75 degrees outside! This year, with the party in April, it ended up cold and snowing that “Spring” weekend! We pushed the party up an evening because of terrible weather on Saturday. In the end, so many people called out sick (germs are not welcomed in our home) or could not attend because of the date change…

But it was nice! We had a great time. Sweet Lorelei honestly had no clue either way. She was happy to be surrounded by her family and to be tasting a pink flamingo cupcake!

Speaking of cake… this amazing Happy Birthday, Happy Glamper theme came full circle with her cake. We have been so blessed in many ways by programs for kids who have life threatening conditions. I heard about Icing Smiles from another mom while Lorelei was in the NICU. Icing Smiles works with bakers all over the country to provide cakes for these kiddos. Normal bakers, who volunteer their time and their talent to help families like mine make memories of a lifetime.

Through a few emails (after an approval process) I told the local baker the theme of the party and the colors I was using for decorating. I literally said: “We are doing Happy Birthday, Happy Glamper - think vintage campers, flamingos, pink and aqua” and that was it. As a control freak, event planner, it makes me anxious not knowing what the cake will look like. This baker nailed it! She even added the adorable flamingo cupcakes! AND she made them gluten free for our family!!

This was their “fun cake”. Lorelei can receive a “fun cake” every year for her birthday, but one year she will receive a “dream cake” that is a three tiered, fancy, carved cake! And they also do “memorial cakes” and “sibling cakes” for families too. Such a blessing right?!

Okay, enough words. The pictures are worth so many more words than I can write!

For Lorelei’s first birthday, she wasn’t at a place where we could do a traditional cake smash. She wasn’t taking ANYTHING by mouth, had no interest in food, and threw everything up that we had her try. Truth be told, we are still barely eating anything by mouth (all 100% g-tube) but she now loves tasting and licking things. The more flavor the more she seems to like it! So we let her play with a ‘mingo cupcake this year. And, while it may be minor to most families, at her party, for the first time ever, Lorelei had food (hot pink icing) on her hand and moved it to her mouth on her own!! Guys, she has never ever put food in her own mouth until this hot pink flamingo cupcake. Be still my special needs, tubie mom heart.

While I laugh that no part of this party turned out the way I expected it to, I’m reminded that neither has my mom-life. But other than finding a cure for my kid, I wouldn’t change a darn thing. I have learned more from my nonverbal, non-walking-crawling-sitting, 2 year old toddler than I learned in 13 years of sales and marketing in the home warranty industry, 9 years as an event planner, 4 years as a restaurant owner, 4 years of college and all the schooling that came before it.

So kiddo, thank you for reminding us to celebrate life! Here is to so many more years with you, our ultimate gift from God, and so, so many more pink flamingo cupcakes.

Thank you to Icing Smiles for all you do for kids like Lorelei and hearts like mine. Thank you to our local baker, Barbara in Suffolk, VA. Thank you to the family and friends who came to celebrate and to those who celebrated from afar, keeping their sick germs at bay. Thank you to those who sent books for Lorelei’s NICU book drive! Thank you all for praying and continuing to pray for our little girl as she shows Mitochondrial Disease who is boss. Thank you, thank you, thank you.