A happy birthday for Greg

Greg's birthday was Monday, the day he got here. So his first birthday present was big hugs from all of us.

But we didn't celebrate his birthday until Wednesday. (We had to have Christmas first!)

He started his day playing with the kids and doing some maintenance on my computer. Mary, whom my dad calls, "a true capitalist," is very concerned with ownership and private property. She was NOT happy about Greg using my computer. She insisted that Greg use his own computer and not Mommy's. Here is Greg trying to avert a full blown meltdown by explaining to Mary how Mommy wants to SHARE, a difficult concept for a capitalist...

(By the way, we love our his and hers Lenovos.)

Later that morning we drove up to Greg's parents' house to drop off the kids. Greg and I escaped for a grown-up lunch. We did what old married folks do: talked about our kids. It was an enlightening and at times heart wrenching discussion about parenthood. I love the father of my children. He is a good man. A good listener. There were napkins stained with mascara when we left.

The birthday party began when we returned to Grammy's house. First on the agenda was bouncing around the party balloons...
(David had decided that since his dad is in the military, he needed a military-themed party. You can't see it, but there are army tanks on the balloons. Not quite Air Force, but that's okay.)

Next we had the famous post-holiday turkey noodle soup. Yummy! (And a big thanks to Greg's mom for waiting until Greg's visit to make it.)
I should stop and list who was there that day, especially since I failed to get a picture of everyone. In addition to our family, in attendance were Aunt Le, Uncle B, Cousin J, Baby N, Aunt K, Uncle M, Cousin E, and, of course, Grammy and Grampa.

Soon after, we lit the candles on the cake. All 32!
Greg got some help blowing them out...
David wanted to buy Greg a book about the military to help him at work. When we were looking at books, he realized his daddy needed a book about helicopters, especially since he's started flying around on these. And somehow that turned into his Daddy NEEDING a book about all every single Star Wars ship and vehicle. (I'm sure the logic makes sense if you're four.) David was really excited about it and more than willing to help Greg open it...
The next few pictures I am posting because of Mary's face. I'm not sure what she was upset about, but she was one sad little girl...and it's kind of funny...


Mary opened her present to Greg. She picked it out all herself. And, boy, was she particular about it. She was so excited, and she's been talking about it for days. She wrapped it in a giant bag full of tissue paper...
What is it? A pink electric toothbrush, of course! Mary loves toothbrushes and loves pink, so, really, what more could her father want, er, expect? (For days she has been saying, "Daddy toothbrush birthday party.")
Mary was happy to help Daddy open his cards, while David checked out the new book...
Here is Greg really excited (and surprised) about a new iPod Touch. The thanks go entirely to his parents...
Soon after, we drove our tired children home, and Greg put them to bed one last time. Greg and David read his new book for quite awhile...
That evening was really emotional for all of us.

I'm so glad Greg was able to come and celebrate Christmas and his birthday with us. Of course we wish he'd been here more than two days, but I am deeply grateful for time we had.

Here is the weird thing about his visit. I thought it was going to be special. But it wasn't. It was NORMAL. When I would look over at him driving the car, or when I would hear him making breakfast for the kids, or when I would cuddle close to him on the couch while watching episodes of Lost, I would forget that this wasn't normal. Normal for me now is living with my parents and being a parent solo. When I was with Greg, my life as a single mom seemed a million light years away.

I miss normal. The real normal.