Planning Faith's 2nd Birthday Party

This week Faith turned 2. Wow! Last year on Faith's 1st birthday, I couldn't celebrate, yes I am blessed for her arrival but to me it was a reminder of that day my baby was taken away from me, the day I could no longer protect her from the world, the first time we were separated and I couldn't comfort her first tears or see her first sleep or even feed her, yes it still hurts. She spent her first 6 weeks in neonatal intensive care and I couldn't stay with her. I spent hours and hours a day by her side but felt I didn't know her, I didn't know what happened during the night I wasn't in control of feeding or anything. I felt I had to fight to be involved. Faith was very sick so I found Faith's 1st birthday a day full of sadness and emotions. It didn't help that she was sick then as well and it wasn't until the end of 2011 that we started living again and going out, doing fun things, being a real family, it was because at last she is well. Praise God!

Faith's goodie bags for girls and boys! Such fun!

So here we are, Faith's 2nd birthday, this year I feel happier. My darling is well, she still has lots of catching up to do and bad days, but she is gaining weight and interacting with us. There is so much more hope and happiness. She generally sleeps through the night and has a long day time nap, she is settled and generally content. My mum said to me oh think about 2 years ago and her wonderful arrival but I said, yes it is wonderful to have Faith but I don't wish to think about that day 2 years ago, I want to concentrate on how well Faith is now and how beautifully she is doing now. So, we decided that we should celebrate Faith's birthday and tomorrow we will be having a birthday party for Faith. We have invited her little friends and their families. I made little cup cake invitations, I had so much fun making them. We have planned yummy food, honey joys, chocolate crackles, fruit, mini sausage rolls and party pies, spring rolls, veggies and dip. While the parents enjoy chatting, the kids are going to decorate cup cakes. When I was thinking about what we could entertain a bunch of near 2 or just over 2 years old, I thought about what would be good for Faith. Food, of course. We are trying so hard to teach Faith that food is friend not foe so why not decorate cup cakes. Lots of kids playing with their food. Perfect! We will all sit outside on the deck, where we can hose the deck off when finished and maybe the kids, just kidding.

I must admit that even through all the fun preparing decorations, food and invites, I think there will be those tiny, fleeting moments when I see the other little ones sitting up, crawling and walking and long for Faith to be able to do at least one of them. I know she will get there but it doesn't lessen a tiny bit of longing for my little one to sit up, crawl or walk.

Some great cheap items for Faith's goodie bags

It has been really fun preparing. Faith and I made the honey joys yesterday and today we are making chocolate crackles and I am going to attempt to make a doll cake. Never made a cake that big or fancy before. We went shopping for items to put in Faith's goodie bags that we will give the kids when they leave the party. It is going to be fun! When I was growing up my mum and dad always had parties for me. I remember the pool cake as I loved swimming. My mum and dad made my parties so much fun and so special. When I was little I would get so excited and then end up in tears as I got so excited. I wonder if Faith will be like that? Anyway, what could be better than celebrating such a precious life!