Lupine turned eight yesterday.
And her day was so sweet, so simple, so mellow.
So Lupine.
She decided to skip the party this year in exchange for a day in town last week with one dear friend. We went for sushi, to the children's museum and the thrift store. Simple. Easy. Fun.
That left yesterday wide open. We made art together ("This is like a whole extra birthday present, mama!"), played games, read books, and ate some lots of her favorite foods.
The gifts she received were unwrapped slowly throughout the day and appreciated deeply.
A bag of tulip bulbs from her papa and the muscle behind tilling her a new flower garden.
A fancy ceiling light from my dad, hung in her room before the day's end.
A replacement pair of Lupine's favorite earrings from Sage, one of which was lost this summer.
A rad t-shirt and sweet stationary kit from my mom.
And a pair of mittens and cozy vest from me that I knitted up during the past few weeks from yarn in my stash.
No toys, no clutter, just things she will use and treasure.
It was lovely.
And then we made a cake together, ate Paleo samosas and dal for dinner (whoa. so good.), found her worn wool birthday crown, and lit the candles on our wooden spiral as we read her story, year by year.
Stories of her birth, her growth, her unfolding.
Stories of this strong spirit, where she has been, and the promise of all that is before her.
And truly, I can't wait to see where she goes from here.
Happy Birthday, Lupine. You're made of magic.
Love,
Mama
If you'd like suggestions of how to keep birthdays simple and meaningful, do let me know. I'd be happy to write a post to share some ideas!
