This year SJ was invited to her first birthday party! She’s been to many parties with us as a family, but this was HER friend from school so her brothers and dad stayed behind. It was a ballerina theme at a dance studio and SJ’s first time to be a part of dance class. She loved it. Most of the girls there go to her school. They all looked adorable and proved that deaf girls CAN dance!

Stretching (way to go SJ, reach those toes)

Dancing to the Frozen sound track of course. 
When I went shopping for the birthday present I deliberated went alone because if I purchased a fun girly gift SJ would not understand that it was a gift. Then the day of the party SJ found the gift bag and I panicked. I told her it was for T’s birthday party, and here is the miraculous thing, she understood! She definitely knows T’s name and you could tell that it all clicked. I was really excited about this milestone. 

When we got to the party she saw T, shouted her name and ran up to her giggling and handed the present over. I wanted to cry. This time last year we none of it would have meant that much to her, but it’s starting to make sense. 
The birthday girl with SJ. Even though their birthdays are close together T is a year older. She is small for her age. 

Later that day I made her cake and she said “birthday” it was the first time I had her say it and it was all on her own. She has been very excited about her special day. Unfortunately the party that was originally scheduled for Sunday ended up postponed. I was really reluctant, but we didn’t have a choice. There was hail and ice followed by snow. The roads were just too treacherous. School was even cancelled the next day and it wasn’t nearly as bad. I know even Texas gets a wee bit of snow or ice on occasion in March (they did this week I believe, someone correct me if I am wrong), but when we lived in Texas I would joke that SJ’s birthday made the flowers come out because we would see the first blossoms of spring right around her birthday. In Ohio the flowers are not so kind. I always know I am taking a gamble with the weather when I throw an outdoor party, but I thought I was safe having an indoor party in March! Oh well, the good news is we did celebrate last night and I will elaborate on all the donuty mayhem fun that took place once I get some photos to show off. I am also waiting on a photo that was taken at the gala so that I can tell you all about that too. The messy mom has a lot to catch up on. Now that the donut party is out of the way I should have a chance to get to it.