First Birthday: Quarantine Edition

WOAH it’s been forever since I’ve done written! I got carried away with life and then COVID-19 hit! Hi, and welcome back! It’s been a bit!

The biggest thing that has happened since my absence is our son, Gideon turned ONE YEAR OLD on April 28! The day was finally coming when all of our family and friends would come together and gather around our sweet boy! I could almost hear them all singing “Happy Birthday” and laughing as his face disappeared into cake icing. But then a wrench was thrown into our- and everyone’s- plans. In March, when talk COVID-19 was starting to kick up, I knew that his first birthday would probably be a bit different than we had anticipated. We were going to have to improvise. However, if my mom taught me anything, it’s that there can be joy and positivity in any situation, and I knew that this time would be no different. I started to plan…

Obviously the big birthday party would have to be postponed. We got our deposit back from the venue, and started to brainstorm. We couldn’t just let this day come and go like any other. Even though Gideon wouldn’t know any different, we still wanted it to be special. My big roadblock was that we were too afraid to physically go into stores at that time. We didn’t have masks yet, and the cases of infection were rising by the hour. I also didn’t want to spend too much money, because eventually, in the probably distant future, he will have a party with all of our family and friends, and we are going to pull out all of the stops for that event. My husband and I did, however, manage to score some Frozen II decorations (because nothing cheers Gideon up quite like Elsa), and an outfit that reads “It’s fun to be ONE!” (shoutout to Carter’s for having the best baby clothes and a great price. Not sponsored…but I totally wish it was) My husband is the family cake baker and loves an excuse to go all out for a cake, so he got to work in the kitchen. I found a poster board in my closet and made a sign. It was finally starting to feel like a birthday celebration!

April 28, 2020

The morning of April 28 felt like Christmas morning. I woke up with an energy that I don’t typically have, and actually smiled when I heard my alarm. We woke up our sweet son with the sounds of us singing “Happy Birthday”. He was incredibly confused. I quickly got him ready and we went to his pediatrician’s office for his one year wellness check!

The doctor’s appointment was odd. We had to call the office from the parking lot and a nurse came to get us. Only one parent was allowed in the room with him, and the parent had to wear a mask for the entire appointment. I was the one who brought him in, while my husband waited in the car. The check-up went well! Just a few measurements and a few vaccines, and we were on our way. Now the real party could begin!

First things first, I needed to put my sign to good use! We decorated his crib, then began snapping pictures!

While Gideon napped, my husband and I got to work decorating the living room with a sheet (protects the floor from cake, and makes a cute background for pictures!), and getting out the cake and presents! We set up a Zoom call so everyone on our family could at least see him experience cake for the very first time. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law were able to come over to our house, and sit in the doorway with our door open, at least 6 feet away from us. Once everyone was present (in person, or virtual), we got out the cake! Let the socially distant festivities commence!

This next part speaks for itself:

After the cake, we put him, immediately, into the bath. He was an absolute mess! We bathed him once to wash out all of the crumbs and icing, and then refilled the tub a second time to actually clean his body. By the time the second bath was over, he was exhausted from the day (and probably crashing from eating more sugar than he ever had in his little life). After a book, and some prayers, he went right to sleep.

Afterthoughts

Although it wasn’t anywhere close to the day that we had anticipated, it was still an incredible day. Looking back, I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. We got to see all of our family, even if it was through a computer screen or in the doorway. Even though the chorus of “Happy Birthday” was a little jumbled through everybody’s various lags on their computers, it was still beautiful and heartfelt. Even though the cake was whipped up at home, and not at a bakery, it was still just as precious (if not more precious) seeing it smeared all over our sweet boy’s face.

Will we still have a big first birthday bash with everyone close to us when all of this is over? Probably. The Couch’s love any excuse to have a celebration.

But we aren’t in any rush.