The sweet round smiling face, the cheeky grin and the belly laughs fill the air. Rice cereal replaces the sweet sugary birthday cake, and big balloons are tired to the high chair!

Half birthdays are a big deal in our house! We celebrate with style and sugar.

It all started with my daughter’s first half birthday. I went all out! Banner, balloons, birthday outfit, pictures, the whole thing! My husband thought I was crazy at first, but I wanted to celebrate making it through the first six months. The countless nights of pacing the kitchen bouncing her in my arms, trying to sing “you are my sunshine” over her colic cries.  The endless blow outs, the pooping in the bath almost every time, endless ear infections,  and the fist full of hair she ripped off the dogs on a daily basis.

I wanted to celebrate the milestones of the first smile, giggle and rolling over.

That silly morning of her first birthday we celebrated by singing the traditional “happy birthday” song, serving her rice cereal for the first time, opening presents and taking countless photos.

It was more about celebrating for us. We no longer had a newborn we had a baby.

As much as it was about surviving the first few months I think it was even more so the fact we were so thankful for our kids. You see it was no easy feat to bring them into the world. It’s a special day we take to look back on the journey and give thanks!
That half birthday allows us to reflect on the last 18 months of stress, worry, excitement, and the blessing that is sitting smiling at us with that big cheeky grin!!