PENGUIN PARTY FOR HENRY HOLBROOK

on saturday morning my baby turned three. 

we had a little party for him and his friends on friday afternoon. i did all the set up the night before, once huck was asleep. we'd been talking about birthdays, and birthday parties, and who should be invited, and what it would feel like to be three, every night before bed. we'd crouch under the covers with our flashlights and books and talk out the specifics of the thing in our quietest whispers. huck wanted penguins. every night i'd ask him what kinds of things one would have at a penguin party, and every night he'd say cupcakes, penguins, and black and white cookies. of course. only he calls them "brown and white cooties," because really the chocolate is more brown than black, he's got a point there.

once he was conked out i stayed up late to put the finishing touches on things. i have an inner party planner that comes out every now and then, i forget she's there. she's sort of insane. (i even pulled off a pretty spectacular bit of penguin nail polish art at, uhhh, 3AM. i don't know what i was thinking.) when the last penguin cupcake had been frosted and put in its place, the last paper lanterns had been hung, the plates and napkins were ready for action, and all that was left to do in the morning was cut little sandwiches into fish shapes and put out the string cheese and carrot sticks, i sat myself down on the couch and just . . . thought. about everything. babies mostly, and all my hopes and dreams for this boy. all of the wonderful moments we get to have together every single day, and all of the exciting things that lay ahead for us.

earlier that night, while putting huck to bed--our flashlights beaming under mountains of blankets--i tickled huck's back as his whispered account of all the things he'd done that day got drowsier and drowsier. it reminded me of our first night together in that hospital room almost three years ago to the day. the pads covering the mattress, and the funky pink pitcher of water, and all those ankle bracelets and hospital blankets with the blue stripe down one side, and pink and blue striped cotton beanies and that squished little face, and the way he stuck his lower lip out at me and squeezed his eyes shut. easily the world's most perfect, most indignant little pout. i loved that pout so so much. that night was the first night i got to tickle his back as he fell asleep and i remember so clearly how soft that skin felt. it was unbelievable;  brand new, fresh, just barely finished, completely perfect skin. i remember exactly the way that brand new skin felt under my fingers, and the shape of his little ribs underneath and the curve of his little spine and the weight of his tiny baby bum in my hand, his pouty little face on my chest. and while i sat on the couch that night i thought of that newborn baby skin and this almost-three big boy skin and gosh. it about broke me in half. it felt like every single feeling ever felt all at once. 

before i finally crept off to bed i stopped to snap a few photos of the party-in-waiting. huck and penguins, man. it is such a pleasure to be this boy's mom. 

it was a hit.

so there we are. holbrook birthday season twenty thirteen / over and out.

p.s. some sources

the banner i freehanded and taped to white string with scotch tape

the star bunting is c/o nahbi

our sources for: penguins, lanterns, straws, fish cookie cutters, and milk glasses

(my glasses are from west elm but i couldn't find them online!)

our crowns every year come from a local party store 

(huck refused to wear it this year!)

our cake plate was a gift from darlybird many moons ago

(but how great are these? 1 2 3 4 5)

and also pinterest. 

thank your, pinterest.

p.p.s. every year we try to record huck's lullaby, moon river, as a family. this year we weren't able to get all of us together, so over the weekend when everyone was asleep and i had a few minutes to myself, i recorded it quickly so we wouldn't miss a year/ (HERE is last year's... we didn't post his first year's lullaby, maybe i should find it? also i'm still pretty rusty.) 

anyway, here it is. huck, this is for you bubb.

p.p.s penguin nails