Ryan took the day of Magnolia's birthday off work so that we could take her out to do something special on her actual birthday. We had plans to take her to lunch & to a children's museum & on the way I realized they are closed on Mondays. As we were driving I was trying to think of a new & equally fun idea. It was another gorgeous sunny 60 degree day so I said let's head to the farmstead. From the backseat our little birthday girl got so excited to see all the animals. And then I found that they are not open for the season yet. We needed a new idea fast because we were driving aimlessly and Ryan had a flight out to California that put us on a time schedule. SKY ZONE, that'll be perfect, she can jump around on the trampolines. I could not even believe it, they were closed too!!!
My final & last suggestion. The American Girl Doll store at the mall. I felt like we were settling as we scrambled for new ideas. To our surprise it ended up being the perfect way to spend her birthday. We had the whole entire store all to ourselves & she got to look at all the baby dolls & make cupcakes in the playhouse. We did a little shopping before her beautiful eyes spotted the carousel. Her face totally lit up and she giggled for the entire ride. We stopped in the cutest little candy shop & she picked out some chocolate. She wanted french fries for lunch and so we ran across the street to Houlihans to grab an easy lunch before heading back home. And once we got home her birthday gift from my parents & sisters was fully charged & ready for her to drive. Watching her drive the little white car brought us all so much joy! Thankfully it came with a remote control because she's going to need some practice before we let her loose.
After dinner, it was just Magnolia & me, and we had another little celebration. I put her unicorn candle in a leftover pink cupcake & she insisted we go to the dining room table to eat it. We sang Happy Birthday together & the simplicity of a quiet night with just my baby & me was the best end to her third birthday.
This day of nothing going as planned was a great reminder for me. Magnolia's childhood joy, as any child, didn't depend on the details of what we were doing. Honestly, she would have been just as happy going for a walk around our neighborhood with Valentine. Or even a trip to Target would have brought about the same amount of happiness. I know sometimes I try so hard because I want to make all these magical memories that she'll remember forever. And I hope & pray I am giving her the very best childhood, full of amazing experiences that she can look back on one day & remember how she felt inside. On the same note, I realize that her innocence & wonder doesn't require more than our time & devotion. Sometimes I forget that everything is still new to her, and it's all an adventure. The world is full of possibilities to explore & her imagination can run wild no matter what we are doing!
If you have little ones I hope this can be a great reminder for you as well. It's wonderful to go above & beyond for our babes, but really all that matters to them is your time & attention. A simple day with your undivided attention is just as wonderful as a well-planned day of doing all the extra special stuff.
Love xo Wen
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