Happy Birthday Sweet Colette!

Today marks 2 years since Colette has joined our family,  and two years since she went back home.  Oh how we all miss her!  We talk about her a lot and even though she is gone she is still very much a part of our family, and always will be!   I've had a plan for this day for several weeks now.  I have to have a plan or I'm afraid that I won't make it through the day.    Imagine my surprise as I overheard Aaron the week before telling Bridgett how excited he was for Colette's Birthday and how it's such a fun day.  Which is good  I'm glad that someone is looking forward to her birthday, but it was just such a shock to me to realize how differently we were looking at this day.

So we got up this morning and got ready for the day.  We actually got some snow over night so Daddy and Aaron went and shoveled the sidewalks and drive way while Bridgett watched me finish up Colette's cupcakes.

 Colette's two little candles.  Happy 2nd Birthday sweet baby girl!

After we finished frosting the cupcakes we gathered up the flowers that we were going to take to the cemetery to leave at Colette's headstone.

 Here Bridgett is so proud to hold them and take them to Colette.

Of course we can't put down our "puppy" or our "pink monkey"!

We went to Kohlers and we picked out some balloons and off to the cemetery we went.

I love this photo.  Of course it breaks my heart that they have to visit their sister like this... that's she not a part of our family here on earth, but I watch how much my children love her and how often they think of her and like to do things for her and it just warms my heart.  Families are forever!!  I have no doubt that these two boys will also lover her as much as Aaron and Bridgett do.   Bridget is holding tight to Colette's Balloons while Aaron is trying to scrap the snow off her headstone.  It's days like this that make me wish it had all happened in July.  How nice it would be to have a picnic on her birthday and eat her cupcakes by her headstone in the nice warm weather!   But the kids don't seem to complain and no one talks about how cold it is.

After our Cemetery visit we ran back home and grabbed the things that we were going to donate to the Hospital in Colette's memory.  We had an appointment to meet Jason, the social worker who helped us after Colette was born,  and the nurses on the Labor and Delivery floor.  So many people did such nice things to help us after Colette passed away and we just wanted to give back and little,  maybe help someone else if we can.  

 We found these darling children's books

 And we donated a few of Colette's story books just for those who have lost a baby.  I told Jason that it was very lds based so he would just have to go off his own inspiration of who to give it to. :)  No pressure right?

And we found these darling stuffed animals that we thought the hospital could find some good homes for.    We also took all but 4 of Colette's cupcakes and gave them to the labor and delivery nurses to thank them for all their hard work.    I know it's probably odd but it just feels right to spend even just a few mins on the anniversary of the day she was born in the only place that I got to see her for a few mins and well... that would be labor and delivery.  

We had a good visit with everyone,  They loved her cupcakes and her books,  They took a photo of all of us together and said they would e-mail it to me so when I get that I'll have to add it on :)

They all loved Colette's fairy tale and when we got home for the day I found this e-mail from Jason.

Julia, Dusty and kids,

Thank you all again for coming today to celebrate Colette’s birthday with all of us.  We are very appreciative of being part of your family’s special time and day.  As Moana, one of the nurses read your book to us we thought what a gift to be able to share with other families in their time of need.  I was also thinking ahead and have a question.  Are more books able to be purchased and if so, at what cost?  Many times I have boys in my ward, or folks from the community looking for worthy Eagle Projects to pursue and raising money to purchase books to pass along to other families would be very worthwhile.  Please enjoy your family and in the next while let me know.  We want your book to influence as many families as possible and we are thinking of keeping a book on the unit to share with all of the mothers and families that would benefit from it, would that be ok?  Thank you again and we appreciate the opportunity to share with the children the books and stuffed animals your family has provided.  We look forward to seeing your in April and we all just love your family.

Sincerely,

Jason

After our hospital visit we took the kids to lunch,  We opted for Wingers!  The kids love that they get to have popcorn while they wait for their food!  

After lunch we took the kids to Trafalga for miniature golfing in the dark!   If your going to play inside you might as well enjoy the glowing balls and shirts!  

Here's Bridgett getting ready to hit her pink ball.  

they had some really cute glowing art work on the walls.

Bridgett,  Mommy and Aaron posing for the camera,  my new favorite way to take pictures!  in the dark!!!!

Aaron and Bridgett had a great time play together!  And Bridgett was really good at getting all the machines to just start spitting out tickets!  Who cares about timing she just randomly pushed buttons and they just all came out :)  

After golfing we had some arcade tokens and the kids had a great time!  And they even got dipping dots!  They had so much fun doing things that we just don't normally do.  But the time we got home I think everyone was very tired!  Bridgett was pretty glazed over on the ride home! 


After Dinner at home we pulled out our own Colette cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday to Colette,  and we each ate a cupcake in memory of her.  

 All in all I think it was a good day,  as good as it could be considering we are all missing our baby girl.  I'm sure that every one of Colette's Birthdays will be bitter sweet but I love the family traditions that we have set up,  some service some fun and a lot of time together as a family.  And I think Aaron said it best when he ended the day by saying " We wish we could all be with Colette but wherever she is We hope she had a pretty special Birthday today".