Laura Turns 23!

Hands down, my favorite holiday is Christmas. I love the energy that surrounds it, the sights and sounds it brings, and the effortless nostalgia that hits me repeatedly as it nears. For me, this is one of my favorite days of the year; a day I look forward to all year long. While this is true for me, my sister Laura has a favorite day of the year very different, yet similar, to mine.

September 22nd is a very special and important day in our family. It is Laura's birthday. It is common to hear us say that Laura's birthday- is like our Christmas. She looks forward to her birthday all year long and starts planning the next year's festivities, once her birthday is over. She makes lists of guests and lists of what she wants for her birthday months out. It is a production and she loves it!!! This year was no different.

Her birthday started at her work (physical therapy office) where she is loved so much. They really sense how special Laura is and celebrate her to the fullest! They had a cake, a princess crown, balloons, and even had lunch catered for the whole office from a restaurant of her choice (Olive Garden). They spoiled her so much and we were so happy to be able to go there during her lunch hour and witness it firsthand! Then, that night we went to a delicious dinner at a great Italian restaurant called Calabria. She invited her friend, Sarah, to spend the day with her. Before dinner they got a mani/pedi and then ate with us that night. It was great to see her with her friend and to see them enjoying each other's company and the cute waiters.

On a side note, Claire had a hard night. See, Claire and Laura are naturally drawn to each other and usually sit by each other, ride in the same car together, and chat. Well, because Laura had a friend with her, Claire kind of took a back seat to Sarah. Claire couldn't understand why Laura's attention went to someone other than her! She cried when she noticed the two girls in Laura's room watching a movie before dinner. She cried when Laura and Sarah got in the same car together. Claire cried when she thought she couldn't sit by Laura at her birthday dinner. All of this was a result of Laura being an amazing Auntie to Claire. Always loving, always inclusive, and always attentive to Claire's needs. It is not often that my kids are able to see Laura with her friends and I am not sure Claire knew what to do. Laura has a lot of friends through her sports teams and I know it meant a lot to Laura have Sarah with her for her birthday dinner. While I did feel bad for Claire that her feelings were hurt, I was happy that Laura could open my kids' eyes to another part of her life that they may not have known about.

Dinner was really nice. Some of our extended family was able to join us and it was a great way to truly celebrate Laura. Laura is largely known for the toasts she gives at weddings, birthdays, or whenever it strikes her to do so. So, we turned the tables on her and all gave toasts to Laura at dinner. She got a real kick out of this and it was sweet to see Michael and Claire muster up the courage to toast her with their Shirley Temples. Michael was classic. He raised his glass and said, "To my Aunt Laura. The best Aunt in the world." For many reasons, dinner was memorable and will not be forgotten any time in the near future. From the Justin Timberlake cake Jill made for Laura, to the great food, to the fabulous conversations, to the chaos of having two babies at a nice restaurant, and the list goes on and on. Happy Birthday Laura! We love you so very much!!!