Isla’s First Birthday
Isla's first birthday is quickly approaching on Tuesday, January 14. Many have asked us how we will celebrate the occasion. We want to make it important and memorable. I feel like how we approach her first birthday will kind of dictate how we do it in the years to come, but it's strange to think about intentionally starting a tradition. All of the "normal" first birthday stuff I've seen would feel ridiculous to try to re-create. Sorry, Pintrest, baking pink cupcakes and creating a themed centerpiece out of tissue paper doesn't really do it for me...but one thing is certain: there will be cheesecake for breakfast.
A year ago, I was admitted to the Baylor Medical Center ante-partum unit for two weeks to monitor the baby. Her kidney function was a concern because her amniotic fluid levels had been low, so I basically got to sit around in bed and watch the playoffs and just "sit on the nest" as my doctor put it. I was lucky not to have any dietary or activity restrictions--everyone else I met in ante-partum had serious medical issues and high-risk pregnancies and most were on strict bed rest. My sister sent me a delectable cheesecake party wheel and I ate on it for days. One Monday morning I woke up, devoured a piece (or two) of turtle cheesecake, then shuffled down the hall to my sonogram. The doctor took a quick look and said, "OK, today's the day. Next opening in the OR is at 10am, so get ready. No food or fluids", and I just flipped out and shrieked, "I JUST ATE A LOT OF CHEESECAKE!" Fortunately it turned out to be a non-issue and delivery went without issues.
So that's all we've got planned. We'll wake up and have coffee and cheesecake and look at some pictures of her. I hope that in the coming years this little tribute will grow and become a part of what we do. I'm working on a Isla compilation video that hopefully can be posted this weekend, and I'll send out information for her star. A good friend of ours gave Isla a star in the International Star Registry that we'll hopefully get a glimpse of that evening. [For those interested, it’s right outside Ursa Major: RA8h51m54.05s D63 degrees, 45’37.76”]. We'll be thinking of all of you, and hope that at some point on Tuesday you'll pause and think of Isla and all the great things she brought to the lives she touched.
