Last week we celebrated the kiddos' not-quite half-birthdays (though, it was almost exactly what would have been their half-birthday if they'd been born on time!). Mama took the day off from work and we all went to school together. And it was so cute! I remember than in kindergarten, I got to wear a paper crown with my name on it (which I'm sure I kept for years)--and I thought that was very special. But this blows that out of the water. While playtime took place, one of the teachers helped them pick crown colors (pink and blue, surprise), special candles (pink and blue, surprise, surprise), and a special book for each of them (snowflakes and penguins. Snowflakes?). In the book, they each traced their hand and the teachers signed their names.
When playtime ended (we had fun painting, gluing, making playdough cookies, and reading) with "sit on a star" time, the other kids sang a song about "whose birthday is it today?" Bud and Sis put on their special crowns and the birthday capes (of which they did have two--we're not their first twins, of course) and promenaded to the special snack table with tablecloth and candles while the class sang a birthday song (but not the birthday song). Then I told stories about their first four years, separately, using pictures I'd brought for the occasion. The teacher lit one candle for each of their years. For Sis, who being older went first, I had a picture of her in the 15th-story window of a hotel in Boston as a 6 month old--she loved the view and has always been curious and fearless (a dangerous combo). Then a picture of her at the beach in NYC, with the wind blowing in her hair as she concentrates on the beach umbrella lock. Next, a picture of her reaching for a sea turtle at the aquarium; she loves animals. And finally a picture of her beaming proudly next to a drawing on our chalkboard at home. For Bud, there was a picture of him with his musical octopus as a baby and then a picture of him crawling around the Morgan at Mystic Seaport. Another picture of our music-loving Bud, as he holds a drum at Sturbridge. And finally, a picture of him (and everyone) at the baseball game at Yankee Stadium, still his #1 happy thought each night.
Afterwards, we all ate our snack and finished out the day at school with a story (one of our favorites, Mama, Do You Love Me?), an I-spy game, scarf dancing to a Preservation Hall CD, and a bean bag toss game (it was too cold to go outside, at 17F). We then celebrated the half-birthday by going to the "crunchy chicken" restaurant (Bertucci's). It's actually a sweet little tradition and I'll look forward to doing it next year, when it's their turn again. Can you imagine, there will be 5 pictures next time! Maybe it's good we don't usually count half-birthdays--they make time go even faster.
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