Madeline's Birth Celebration

Friday started off like any other day. I worked, and Alison spent time with Madeline, who was in a particularly happy and smiley mood. In the afternoon, we headed over to Kristin’s place, where Alison and Mads hung out with Bret and our nieces while they prepped for the evening's pasta party.

By 6:30, the pasta party was in full swing (although Skylee missed it for her first-ever Halloween party—an exciting milestone for her!). Anna took her role as maître d' very seriously, setting up a whole host stand and everything. She named the restaurant The Walrus Place (not gonna lie, pretty great name for a restaurant). When I arrived, Anna checked me in and led me to my "seat"—though I didn't really sit down; I jumped right into helping out. Bret had done so much of the prep work in the days leading up to the party, making the menu and getting everything ready for us to roll and cut the pasta. It became a fun, collaborative effort, and soon we were enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal together.

Anna was our entertainment for the night. She kept things lively by changing her costume every 10 minutes, always keeping us guessing about her next character. She loved getting everyone’s attention, whether by saying "1, 2, 3 eyes on me" (to which we all dutifully responded, "1, 2 eyes on you") or "Everybody clap, put it in your lap." She transitioned us smoothly from the main course to dessert and then to a rousing game of Little Bunny Foofoo. Anyone who didn’t want to participate found themselves promptly scratched off the list, and getting back on meant facing one of Anna’s nearly impossible challenges. But the night was a blast, and no one left hungry.

Saturday was Madeline’s big day—her birth celebration. We spent the morning setting up for the party. With the weather sitting pretty at around 80 degrees and breezy, I set up tables and chairs outside, turning it into a perfect indoor-outdoor event. We decorated the house with tons of pictures of Mads. Alison framed some, and I hung 50 or so prints on string with tiny pink clothespins above the fireplace, entryway, and dining room. It turned out looking amazing. Alison also ordered the most adorable baby safari-themed cookies from Chelsea Hill, all in our signature sage green and blush pink.

For entertainment, we had all the yard games out—giant Jenga, corn hole, axe throwing (the safe kind, don’t worry), and giant Connect 4. We also had lunch catered by Catering by Bryce, which was such a relief because they came in, set everything up, and didn’t have to stress about the food. By 12:30, everything was ready (the party started at 1), leaving us a bit of time to snap some pictures of Mads with family and friends.

We wanted this day to be meaningful, so Alison kicked things off by explaining how much we love the tradition of baby blessings and christenings. We designed this day to honor that tradition in our own way. Alison and I each shared a blessing or dream we have for Madeline, and we invited our guests to write down their blessings or dreams for her too, which we plan to share with her when she’s older. It was a tender moment, surrounded by so many loved ones.

After the blessing, we took a big group photo and a few more before everyone dove into lunch. We had a great turnout—my mom and Luke, my brother Jon and Amanda, my grandparents, my aunt Ardis and her girls, and from Alison’s family, Blake, Debbie, her grandma Aleene, Jake, Meg, Bret, Kristin, Skylee, and Anna. Our friends Amy and Eric, along with Casey and Amanda (who came all the way from California), were also there. Madeline is so loved, and it was wonderful to see her surrounded by people who care about her on this special day. The first of many celebrations for sure.

As the party began winding down, Alison’s family stuck around a bit longer. Skylee had to leave for a dance practice, but when Kristin came back, Anna had transformed into her next character—Doc McStuffins. She had changed into vet scrubs and brought her toy vet station. She was determined to haul it all the way upstairs to the loft, and Papa decided it was best to help her. Not long after, Anna returned and asked if I would play with her in the loft. Of course, being the doting uncle, I agreed, and we spent a good chunk of time playing vet, doctor, and even pirates.

Later that evening, Blake and Debbie came back to help me clean up. We packed away the tables, chairs, and easy-up, and as a bonus, I let Skylee fly the drone. She was thrilled and even managed to snap a few funny pictures when she landed it.

Casey and Amanda returned, and we spent some time hanging out on the porch under the string lights I had put up earlier in the year. Mads was mesmerized by the lights when they flicked on. I got this great picture where you can see the reflection of the lights in her eyes—it’s one of my favorite shots. I love watching her start to explore the world, seeing all the wonder around her.

Afterward, we gave Casey and Amanda a tour of the house and then took a walk around the island. Daybreak goes all out for Halloween, so it was buzzing with activity. We showed them some of our favorite themed houses—the Harry Potter house, the Pirate House—you name it. It was a lovely evening, perfect for a walk with some of our closest friends.

Sunday, we attempted to sleep in (as much as we could with a baby), but after we got up, we had a nice breakfast before heading out on a walk around the lake to Harmons with Casey and Amanda. We love Daybreak and are always low-key trying to convince them to move here and be our neighbors. Not likely, but hey, a little dreaming doesn’t hurt. We hope they loved it enough to visit often!

The afternoon was a relaxing one. Alison and I took turns napping and cuddling with Madeline. I might’ve snuck in a little nap while holding her. These moments, with her all wrapped up in a cozy blanket, sleeping on me, are the ones I try to hold onto. I know they won’t last forever, but I’m going to soak up every second while I can.

On Sunday night, we wrapped up the weekend with one more gathering. Casey and Amanda came back over, and Kristin joined with her girls. It was fun to see two worlds collide—Casey and Amanda had never met Skylee and Anna in person, but because we talked about them so much, they felt like they already knew each other. The same went for Skylee and Anna, who had heard plenty about Casey and Amanda. This weekend was the perfect chance for them to finally meet in person, and it was such a joy to watch those connections come to life.

When Casey and Amanda first arrived, Anna was up in the loft playing, and Alison and Kristin took Madeline for a quick trip to the store to grab some salad dressing. Meanwhile, Skylee was working on homework, and Amanda, being ever so kind, asked what she was working on. When Skylee mentioned it was math, Amanda jumped right in to help. As it turns out, Skylee and Amanda both share a love of math. Amanda showed her some tricks for thinking through prime factorization, and it was one of those little moments that just made the evening special. Skylee seemed to light up, and it was awesome to see the two of them bond over something like that.

For dinner, I made one of my signature dishes for the year—wood-fired pizza. We had four different pizzas on the menu: a classic cheese, a Margherita with tomatoes, a Pera pizza, and a new one—spinach garlic. They all turned out fantastic (if I do say so myself), and I think everyone enjoyed them. For dessert, we kept things fun with some cookies from Local and two separate Salt & Straw ice cream flavors—Cauliflower Garam Masala and vanilla with M&Ms. It was an adventurous combo, but hey, trying new things keeps life interesting!

After dinner, we spent the rest of the evening visiting and soaking in the last moments of the weekend. As the ever-patient uncle, I headed back up to the loft to play a quick game of doctor with Anna, who expertly performed open-heart surgery in under five minutes (impressive, right?). Then, we all moved outside to gather around the fire pit. The cool, crisp fall air was perfect for sitting in a circle, warmed by the fire, as we talked, laughed, and reflected on the weekend. Skylee and Anna had fun playing with the house lights, creating fun patterns that lit up the night. Skylee even dedicated one of her light designs to Amanda, a sweet gesture. At one point, Skylee took a turn holding Madeline, softly singing to her, and it was one of those beautiful moments that make your heart swell.

I didn’t want the evening—or the weekend—to end. It was one of those weekends where everything was just awesome. But, alas, Monday morning came, and with it, our final moments with Casey and Amanda before they had to leave. I took part of the day off so we could spend some extra time together. We headed out for a walk around the lake, enjoying one last beautiful morning before saying our goodbyes. It was bittersweet, but we were so grateful they came to visit, and we made so many wonderful memories together.

After they left, I got back to work, but I couldn’t resist taking a few breaks throughout the day to spend time with Alison and Madeline. Mads was her usual happy self, and I swear, every day she seems a little more alert and playful. Watching her grow and change is one of the greatest joys, and I’m so thankful for these moments that we get to share together.