Happy 13th Month Birthday Emma!

Emma turned one on July 10, the day we left for China. I thought about having a birthday party for her before we left but we had a big birthday party for my brother Kevin and my dad on July 2 and then had a big party for the 4th of July so we were a bit partied out.

Is that possible???? Well, I was getting ready to take a family of 5 to China...

I felt a bit guilty that Emma was being cheated out an important birthday celebration so Kevin wisely suggested having her party on August 10, her 13th month birthday. Luckily, it happened to fall on a Sunday.

I had a big family shindig for Julia's birthday in June so I decided to be a bit more low key this time. I ordered Pizza Hut pizzas, got pre-made veggie and fruit trays and a Costco cake. We were ready.

We had a few less people than Julia's party but at a head count of 23, we were a full house.

The buffet line has begun. Notice the dramatic Julia in the background. My brother Kevin is in the bottom right.

Emma fell asleep in the car earlier that day but she did get about 45 minutes sleep so I was surprised when I looked at her in her high chair and discovered--

that she had fallen asleep! The party had just begun and she had already partied 'till she dropped.

Obviously no cake or presents for awhile, so on to other entertainment.

And that would be an impromptu game of touch football. It was decided that our back yard was perfect for it.

Getting ready for a big play. Notice Ryan is watching from the love seat. He was very interested but very intimidated.

A meeting of the minds. In front, middle are my nephews Zach (navy blue shirt) and Dillon behind him. From left to right in back, Kevin, Trace, and Kevin's BIL Kevin, but always referred to as "Kevio" Ah, a story for another day...

My SIL Karol (Darrell's sister) and my mother.

Julia and Rylee, Kevio and Geri's daughter.

Left to right: Janne' (my SIL/Kevin's wife), Caitlin her daughter, far back is Trevor Kevio and Geri's son, and then my dad, my mom and Karol-- all with their backs to the camera.

Mommy and birthday girl Emma after I finally woke her up. I concede that Emma is wearing a Chinese outfit and not Vietnamese outfit but it matches Julia and Jenna's dresses. Ryan was also wearing a Chinese outfit.

Everyone is singing Happy Birthday to Emma. Ryan is a bit freaked out and Emma seems confused.

The cake! I bet the Costco people think I'm some kind of anal nut job mom ordering a cake that said "Happy 1 year, 1 month Birthday Emma!" They're probably expecting a cake for 1 year, 2 months toward the beginning of September.

Emma starting to eat her cake. This was historic for several reasons. One she has a fork and I never give her silverware, or plastic ware as the case may be here. Second, I don't give her cake or pie or cookies or brownies. This was the first time she had cake. I wasn't like this with my other children but when your child spends 10 days in the hospital and 5 of those days on a ventilator, you kind of pay attention when your doctor suggests not giving certain food groups to prevent food allergies that might exacerbate her potential asthma.

A fork is fun to hold but the hand works much better.

Uhmmmm, this frosting is good.

Oh what a messy girl!!! At this point I was seriously questioning the order in which I was doing things. We still had gifts and the "grabbing for the future" ritual.

After some wet paper towels and we were ready for gifts.

Emma's first gift was a Lil' Web kinz. What does she do? Eat the tag. Don't get that code wet!!!

Her next gift? A xylophone/keyboard with a crocodile face. Kind of odd combo when you think of it...

Next was a tug boat bath toy-- see it in the background? I want the crocodile

Cute purse but I'm too busy with the Croc.

Oh, a princess/lego carriage!

I'm making music here!

Toddee! That did grab her attention especially when we pressed Toddee's hand and she played "Jumpy, jump, jump, jump, jump." If you haven't seen Yo Gabba Gabba you wouldn't understand.

If only she sang the hit "Don't, don't don't bite your friends! Bite, bite, bite? No, no, no!"

Next we were ready for "Grabbing for the future." I couldn't find a good list of items so we came up with some of our own. Grabbing for the future is Chinese tradition for the first birthday, and also Vietnamese depending on who you ask. In this tradition you place objects in front of the child representing possible careers. The one that the child grabs and holds onto is their career.

We had a hard time finding official objects listed anywhere so we came up with some of our own. A pen (writer/author), adding machine (business), tape measure (design) Web Kinz frog (veterinarian) Book (scholar), thermometer (medicine), a wooden pretend loaf of bread (chef/baker) and a play microphone.

Guess what she grabbed? The microphone. Julia said she's going to be a singer but I said she's going to be an entertainer. BTW, the microphone plays the High School Musical 2 song "Gotta go my own way" where the girls and I promptly broke out into song. They sang Grabriella's part and I? I sang Zacefron, as usual.

Its quite funny, last week the girls in all seriousness asked me why I didn't want to try out for American Idol on Friday in downtown Kansas City. I laughed and said 1) I couldn't sing well and 2) I was too old. After our performance on Sunday, no one questioned my decision NOT to try out.

And Emma, after our impromptu singalong, what did she do?

It was back to the Crocodile.