When pregnant with Olivia, this Irish lass was very amused that my due date was Saint Patrick's Day. But when, two years later, the doctor told me that I again was due on March 17, I was shocked. As it turned out, neither Olivia nor Oscar was born on Saint Patrick's Day, but their birthdays are close enough that we have quite an eventful middle March.
Today, Olivia is double digits, entering her first decade. It is amazing to me and unfathomable that, in another 10 years, she may no longer be living under our roof. She may have launched out on her own adventure. Of course, I hope she has a life filled with fantastic experiences in the world, but right now it is hard to imagine not seeing her every day.
And as our friend Carrie, a math teacher, pointed out to us many years ago, Olivia's birthday falls on pi day. 3.14. Auspicious, to be sure, and she has indeed brought us many blessings.
Last night, Olivia had a slumber party with homemade pizza and chocolate cake fashioned into a witch's hat to celebrate her love of Harry Potter. The children decorated t-shirts using freezer paper stencils, watched The Parent Trap (the original), and drank butter beer. I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm not sure how much longer our kids will want us to throw them parties. I tried to get them to sign written contracts today saying that we could throw them birthday parties well into their teens, but they wouldn't go for it.
I'll just have to be content with this day then, today, when Olivia is enthusiastic about her party, her gifts, and her day, rainy as it is. I mean when she saw her cake, which was supposed to be a black hat but came out more purple-y, did she complain? No, she did not. She said, "I love the color, it is so silver-y and magical. Much better than black." Sigh. I am treasuring these moments.
I hope that you are treasuring your moments today, too.
By the way, I soon will post a recipe for the chocolate sheet cake that I used to make the hat. It is delicious (even if my cake decorating skills leave room for improvement).
That purple-y cake looks delicious!
Nicely done, Margy.
Posted by: Ricky Albores | March 15, 2010 at 10:47 AM
I love calling Olivia on her birthday and I love that she seemed to expect my call yesterday. Today, Kate is 4. Hard to believe that my baby is 4 years old. It seems as though we have entered a new level of parenthood with 3 kids and no toddlers. I love your traditions - thanks for sharing them with all of us. Middle March birthdays are so great with all the expectancy of Spring and warm times to come. Wishing the O's and the rest of your family warm times inside our house and hopefully, outside soon too!
Carrie
Posted by: Carrie Norry | March 15, 2010 at 01:41 PM
LOVE the cake, Margy!!! We've got three birthdays within three weeks in March, too, and so I've been trying my hand at cake baking. Yours looks beautiful and delicious!
Posted by: Katherine Schroder | March 15, 2010 at 02:30 PM
Such great stories! and such a great hat. I love it. Please wish them both very very happy birthdays for us! I cannot believe that Olivia is 10. That just seems insane. How did that happen so fast. L.
Posted by: laura | March 15, 2010 at 03:13 PM
Happy birthday to Olivia! I love your birthday party ideas and think the hat cake turned out perfectly. Too bad about the contracts though as I'd love for my kids to sign them too!
Posted by: Leticia | March 15, 2010 at 06:02 PM
Happy Birthday, Yaya!!! It has bee a great 10 years! Sign the contract!! (But add a little fine print that you get to decide all the details down the road)... Love you!! Auntie Sarah
Posted by: Sarah | March 15, 2010 at 10:38 PM
Happy Birthday, Yaya!!! It has bee a great 10 years! Sign the contract!! (But add a little fine print that you get to decide all the details down the road)... Love you!! Auntie Sarah
Posted by: Sarah | March 15, 2010 at 10:38 PM
happy birthday, olivia. (by the way, in the picture she looks just like chloe, but with dark hair!)
Posted by: chronicles of momnia | March 17, 2010 at 12:09 PM