I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago, and it was so much fun! I was getting ready to return to the workforce after having a year off with my new baby, so I REALLY wanted to stay at home and relax. I told my husband this important piece of info, and he said that he would plan the rest. I love throwing parties for people, so Daddy and Maddie decided that Mommy needed one too! 🙂 It was so nice to not have to plan anything and be able to just kick my feet up and relax. Here is what they came up with:
THIS IS WHAT WAS WAITING ON ME WHEN I WENT DOWNSTAIRS – YAY!!! My wonderful husband made me french toast, where he hand cut the bread from a large french loaf and made the batter with orange zest. It was absolutely delicious!! Although I have been eating fairly healthy lately, I most definitely made an exception for this fabulous breakfast. He got up before me and took care of the first changing and feeding for little miss, so Mommy got to sleep in (BEST PRESENT EVER). I woke up on my birthday to the smell of delicious fresh coffee brewing, bacon and french toast – YES, PLEASE!!! This definitely started my day off right! 🙂
As my mother reminds me, my birthday isn’t technically until 12:31 pm each year. 🙂 Bradley and Maddie made a big deal when the clock turned this time and started singing to me. Madeline looked so cute in her high chair, and she seemed confused and excited all at the same time – lol! Although I want to keep her little, it will be quite fun when she is old enough to actually sing. I can’t wait to hear what her chipmunk voice will actually start sounding like in a few months. 🙂
Bradley told me that I could relax and do anything I wanted. Although I love having a lot of responsibilities, it was so nice to be able to slow down and have a little time to myself. I was able to retreat to my favorite chair and do some light reading, while enjoying more coffee and snuggling under my soft blanket. HEAVEN!!!
When it got a little later in the day, I decided to make a short trip to Target to purchase a new running top. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and for some strange reason, a cute new running top seemed like a good idea for a gift. 🙂 I have told you this before, but I LOVE to run, especially when it is pretty outside. We made our quick family Target run, and Maddie even helped me pick out my new top!
Other than our super short trip to Target, we stayed at home for the rest of the day. We put Maddie down for her afternoon nap, and then I went out for a long run, which was much needed after my delicious breakfast – LOL! 🙂 Running is my “happy time” where I can sort of disconnect from the world and just be alone in my thoughts.
After my run, I came home to yet another home-cooked meal. WOOT, WOOT!!! Bradley had previously asked me what sort of food I wanted, and I told him Italian. This was sitting at the table waiting on me when I got back. The bread on the left was actually garlic cheese bread with a homemade marinara sauce. We also started out with a salad, which was super good!
The main course was homemade pizza with fresh basil, roma tomatoes and huge blobs of mozzarella cheese. It was SO GOOD!!!!
Don’t you worry – Lucy enjoyed parts of this home cooked meal as well! 🙂 She always camps out at the table, in hopes that food may be “accidentally dropped” her way.
Obviously, we didn’t want Lucy to feel left out of the party, so we got her a “birthday dog cookie” to enjoy while we had our cupcake. I don’t know if you can tell, but she is super spoiled! 🙂
Since I am almost done with losing my baby weight, I specifically asked to not have a whole cake. We love sweets around here, and we didn’t want to end up spending the rest of the weekend eating an entire cake. To compromise, we split a birthday cupcake from Gigi’s, which was the perfect amount. It was delicious!!!! I received a few wonderful gifts, as well as a handmade card from Madeline and her daddy – it was perfect! I am not a huge store-bought card person. I much prefer a simple one that is handmade, so this is a tradition that Bradley and I have always done. 🙂
Madeline, of course, had to have a party hat! We just borrowed one that I already had in my craft room, so we didn’t have to buy one. I typically don’t let her have a ton of screen time, but since it was a “family holiday,” I let her watch a little Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. 🙂 The orange top I have on in these pictures is my new one from Target. I love the bright color!!!
All in all, my birthday was PERFECT! I was with my favorite people on Earth, and I got to slow down and enjoy my day. We didn’t spend a ton of money, but still had an absolutely wonderful time. Below is one of my favorite pictures EVER! My favorite part is the cake all over Maddie’s face – LOL!
Birthdays DO NOT have to be expensive! With a little thought and planning, you can create the perfect day on any budget. 🙂
What do you do for family birthdays?? Please let us know, because we would love to hear from you! 🙂
XOXO,
Tiffany
