Best Birthday Party Ever

Last night I helped Vincent celebrate his first birthday. It was a great party! It's hard to believe a year has passed ~ Momma Moira baked a bundt cake, had fresh strawberries, cheese, bread, wine, (not for Vincent) and we all got to wear party hats. After the candle blowing and cake eating we got to listen to some jazzy, snazzy kids songs. We sang and danced along to "If you're happy and you know it..." And we were happy and we did know it - that I'm certain of. While I was singing and clapping my hands I realized I was experiencing one of the most perfect moments I've ever seen/been a part of. I can't do it justice but here's what went down....

Moira and Vince were sitting by the stereo: Vince was beebopping his little head back and forth, stopping to watch all of us now and then, turning up the stereo, laughing, grooving in his little boy way. Moira was smiling and clapping and singing - watching Vince and you could see all over her face that he was her light :)

Stefanie and Tori were in the doorway ~ full out dancing, laughing and singing. Kristin was over on the couch getting her groove on as well - clapping and stomping, laughing and singing.

It's hard to explain but as I watched all of us it seemed like not only were the six of us in our own world (the world of the birthday party) but we were each in our own worlds within our selves. We weren't self conscious, weren't worried about work or bills or life - we were just in the moment - clapping our hands b/c we were happy; happy to be celebrating Baby V & Momma Moira.

It hit me on the ride home how perfect it all was and I wanted so much for Vince to be able to remember it - how much fun was being had because of him. And it made me think about how life is full of these perfect moments - sometimes they last a few minutes, a few days or a few years. Once they pass you know you'll never be able to recreate it.

This used to be hard for me to accept. I remember spending the summer in Europe with the two Jennifer's and how much fun we had - and how we said - we'll go back next year - we never made it back and maybe that's ok b/c I don't think it could have or would have been as perfect and it had been.

It also reminded me of how for several weeks (it seems like it went on for months) last year a group of us met at the Littlest Bar on Sunday afternoons ~ we would cram ourselves into this tiny space and listen to the same guy play guitar and sing the same songs every week - and we would drink and sing along like it was the first time we'd heard our favorite songs in years. It was perfect.

There comes a point when you have to move on from those perfect moments (too many to list here but I wish I could) - it's inevitable - things change, people come and go, and we move from perfect moment to perfect moment.

Uh - little sentimental over here if you haven't guessed :-) What I really want to say in a nutshell is... "I LOVE YOU MAN". Thanks for the perfect moments!