A birthday for the parents to remember

I am not really a believer in birthday parties for 1 year olds. I suppose it is more of a celebration for the parents to say, "Look, we made it through the first year alive, and our kid is pretty happy. We must have done something right so let's celebrate." Because, honestly, the kid isn't going to remember it. Do you remember your first birthday without the memory of the photograph of you with chocolate cake all over your face?

Then why do anything at all, you ask? Well, some people don't. We are not those people. However, we had a marvelous day together as a family setting a precedent for birthdays to come. It went something like this... chocolate chip pancakes, opening a few presents (new books) to entertain the wee lad for a few minutes, naptime, down to Heckscher playground for sand, sun and water, Shake Shack for lunch (sorry no pics of this because the camera battery died. Convenient.), another nap (sort of), more presents, playing, dinner, a Levain Bakery chocolate chocolate chip cookie for dessert which he successfully massacred and consumed almost in its entirety and would have if Cameron had not rescued half of it for us to eat (I don't really like cake, so the idea of making an entire cake that I would inevitably have to eat did not sound appealing. Besides, I am a cookie person, and anyone who knows me knows I love Levains. I have to bring my son up right.), and then a wedding reception on top of the Arsenal in Central Park on a beautiful night.

Could he have asked for a better birthday? I think not. He was a good sport and seemed to enjoy most of the day despite an achy mouth (darn those molars). I was just happy spending the day with him and the first love of my life. It's a bittersweet birthday for this mom, but I couldn't be happier with this first year and who this little man is turning out to be. I am excited for the next year and the next hundred.