The Third Birthday

What is so astonishing about Samantha and Easton's birthdays each year?

I mean, sure, it is a day where Blake and I reflect on the trials and hardships of infertility.

We count our blessings that we had a successful first round of IVF, regardless of the unsuccessful other treatments that preceded the creation of two healthy embryos.  

We remember the month before the birth of Samantha and Easton, spending what turned into a little over two months in the hospital trying to prolong the pregnancy that flew by without any morning sickness and overwhelming amounts of unfathomable exhaustion.

We think back on the very first day that Samantha and Easton had ever had on this earth. 

We live moment for moment of that first June 3rd over and over; it was the most miraculous experience we had ever had.

From there, we flash through the big moments...

          Moving

          Holidays

          Trips

          Family Gatherings
          The Important Firsts (i.e. rolling, crawling, walking, sippy cup usage, etc.) 

I suppose birthdays are, in large, an opportunity to remember and celebrate the birth and life of that special someone.

Or in our case, THOSE special SOMEONES.

But part of this occasion for me ...

... and maybe it is just me ...

Each year we celebrate a little that we have all made it another year.

In all seriousness, being a parent is terrifyingly hard and there are all kinds of dangers lurking around every corner. 

          Diseases

          Shady-looking Ice Cream Trucks

          Rabid Dogs (Did you see the one with the dog biting the little boy who got beat up by the cat?)

          Swimming Pools

          Fire Ants

          Hard Candies... The list could go on and on and on ... Terrifying.

But, whew, we made it another year.

Thank you Jesus, bug spray, and cats everywhere.

This year we had a small celebration with just myself, Blake, my sister, Kelsey, and, of course, Samantha and Easton. 

We celebrated on their actual birthday, which happened to be a Tuesday. 

Blake took off from work.
Samantha and Easton came downstairs to find Hello Kitty and Spider-man balloons waiting for them at the breakfast table.

We went out for donuts for breakfast.

We meet a few awesome friends at the zoo and all had lunch at Chick-Fil-A.

We had cupcakes after naps, Samantha requesting a strawberry cupcake and Easton asking for a chocolate cupcake.

From Blake and I, they got new "big kid" bikes, all decked out with accessories that any three-year-old would love.

We ended the day with extra guacamole and cheese quesadillas at their favorite family-friendly restaurant.

It was a pretty perfect three-year-old celebration.
Here's looking to another year where we all survive the odds!


Happy birthday, Samantha and Easton!
Your daddy and I love you more than you could possibly imagine.