A dream is a wish your heart makes...

What a great song from Disney's Cinderella movie. From the moment Bunny was born I have wanted things to be special for her. I dreamed of Holiday's, and Birthday's being EXTRA special. With that being said, I wanted to set the bar and have traditions start with her very first birthday. Well, that was my dream or wish. Didn't really happen like that though...

As Bunny drifted off to sleep and to happy dreams the night before her birthday, I am sure one dream went something like this...picture a blurry, wavy tv screen like they do on Saved By The Bell...


"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUNNY!!!!!" Bunny heard from Mommy and Daddy as she opened her eyes. "It is your birthday today, you are turning ONE year old!" said Mommy. "You are going to have a VERY special day today." said Daddy. Bunny couldn't help but to be excited. She knew SOMETHING special was going on today but she didn't quite know what it was. She was going to find out though! Bunny watched Mommy and Daddy all day. She had so much fun with them. Something was different. There was so much hustle and bustle around her and FOR her that she didn't know what to do. And then it happened...Daddy put a funny hat on her head and Mommy was bringing a small cake to her and they were SINGING. After blowing out the one candle on her cake they started giving her gifts of toys and clothes. She was so very happy. "THIS must be what they were so excited about. THIS is a birthday!" Bunny thought to herself. She had so much fun celebrating her FIRST birthday that she didn't want to go to sleep. But if she HAD to go to sleep, she would go to sleep thinking about all the FUN she had on her special day.


Fuzzy, wavy screen, BACK to REALITY.


Now, don't get me wrong. This is EXACTLY what I had dreamed of for Bunny's first birthday celebration as well. Unfortunately, things don't always happen how you dream or plan them happening. Just a warning to those of you reading, the following description might be revealing. The following is a recollection of the ACTUAL events.


I woke up so excited that it was Bunny's first birthday. We got the video camera out and greeted her with Daddy and I singing "Happy Birthday" that morning. Our morning continued on the usual way...Juice for Bunny, coffee for Daddy Dearest and I. For the last few days our morning ritual has included the checking of everyone for a temperature. Daddy Dearest and I both caught a little cold from Bunny. I had already decided if Bunny's temp was above 100 then I would need to take her to see Dr. Pepper as one of my friends kid's calls this certain pediatrician. As fate would have it. We were going to be seeing Dr. Pepper on Bunny's birthday. Not the greatest way to begin a birthday but necessary. We left the clinic having found out that Bunny had an ear infection in BOTH ears and a viral rash. Happy Birthday Bunny!!!! Boy, did I feel like "Mother of the Year". We got back home just after is began SNOWING!!!!!! I was so excited that we would get to play in the snow with Bunny on her Birthday. But first there were a few things to do...Bunny needed a nap and I needed to set up a few things at her party site while her grandparents were in town to help me with it. After set up I grabbed a quick burger and ate before getting things in order for the little celebration we were to have that night. And THAT is when everything began falling apart. I felt drained an hour after eating lunch and just thought it was because of my cold. Bunny woke up from her nap and we took the opportunity to go outside and play in the snow. Yes, I know that she had just been diagnosed with ear infections but we would only be out there a few minutes. AND, we don't get this opportunity too often so we took advantage. How could I say no to this face...



I still wasn't feeling great but was going to "tough it out" in order to play in the snow with Bunny on her birthday! So we went outside. Daddy taught Bunny how to eat snow. Thank GOODNESS she didn't like it. Just look at this face after Daddy stuck some snow to her tongue.

We all had a great time out in the BEAUTIFUL snow together. Not so easy to get group pictures but we had a great time none the less. We will just had to take mental snapshots.

As Bunny is not yet walking we stood her up a few times for pictures. Here she is with Daddy and I next to our snowman that Daddy Dearest built for us, very quickly. No "eyes made out of coal" but we did have a carrot for the nose. : )

Bunny LOVED looking at the snow but didn't like the coldness of it so much. She would jerk her hands back if I touched them to the cold white stuff. It was so cute. I did let her walk in it a few steps. After about 15 minutes she was done. So, we headed back to our warm cozy house.

We got back inside and warmed up and played a bit and Bunny got sleepy again so she went down for another nap and I just went down. I started feeling worse and it just progressed from there. An hour later I was laying on the floor of our bathroom praying that I could throw up and feel better. I was thinking (at the time) that I had eaten something really bad at lunch and I just needed to get it out of my system. Well...ask and you shall receive...again and again and again. As a result of this prayer there was no first birthday celebration with one tiny cake with one single candle. There was only Bunny running around in her walker while Daddy and Uncle R eating pizza and watching tv. Fun, I am sure but NOT what Mommy had pictured in her head. The birthday of our sweet, joyful Bunny went by without the celebration and joy that it deserved. I was heart broken for her and for me. Six hours later, this heart broken and weak Mommy couldn't get OFF the bathroom floor so DD took me to the ER for some fluids.

After getting some fluids and several WEIRD hours of overheard conversations I was ready to go back home. And HOPEFULLY feel better for Bunny's big birthday party.

So, needless to say it what my heart wished for when I dreamed about Bunny's first birthday. Certainly not how Bunny dreamed of it I'm sure. But things happen. A friend of mine put it so well the other day. She said we should have a "Do Over" when we were all feeling better. That...we will do. More to follow on Bunny's first birthday party.