Happy Birthday Eve

What a difference a year makes. It is hard to believe that last year as Ayden Jane's birthday was arriving, I was planning our departure from early intervention and 'hoping for the best' with preschool. Ayden Jane did not really understand what a birthday was all about and it took days to get her to answer that she was 3 when asked how old she was. She did not really speak to anyone outside our immediate family or circle of therapists. Little did I know that she was going to come out of that little shell and just, be an incredible 3 year old.

So, tomorrow is her birthday. It sort of started to build this week bringing snack to school all week. It sounds crazy, but AJ had so much fun picking out a snack for her friends all week even though she could not eat them. I told her it was her birthday week so we got to bring snack. The first day she said, "my friends like pretzels mom, lets bring those." I went with it. Each morning on the way to school we would stop and pick up a snack for the class. She was so excited and she would carry it in each day so proud of how happy she would make her friends. It never bothered her in the least that she would not be eating what she brought for them. Today it hit fever pitch with bringing in 'cupcake muffins' as she calls them. They are just nut butter muffins with some dark chocolate chips. Her class sang happy birthday to her and she loved it.

Just as she woke up today, Jen brought her crew by and gave her a present and played outside with her. Then a card came in the mail from her grandparents in Texas. It, of course, had money in it so we went ahead and hit the toy store! The excitement was out of control!! Then off to the homecoming parade and football game.

Tomorrow, my parents and our family will celebrate with chocolate covered strawberries and of course more presents (Ala grandparents) and then off to the soccer fields. I will fill you in on the birthday girl tomorrow!