Bonne fete a Nico-oooole…

Just kidding, we don’t actually sing it in French. Do I look bilingual to you?

Yes, I realize that was a nonsensical question.

And yes, I do have a french heritage, and no, I’m absolutely not bilingual. I can sing happy birthday, ask a few basic questions, and say “Je n’est parle francais.” I can also mostly figure out what written french means, but if you speak it at me I’ll probably stare blankly and mumble, “Je n’est parle francais. Tu parle Anglais? Non? Ummm… “

Anyways, the moral of the story is, I can’t pull up that other Nicole’s Birthday post up to edit it on my Live Writer so I made a new one. Don’t think too hard about it, for both of our sakes. Also, you should know that tomorrow’s post will be in the afternoon, not in the morning. But look, sparkles!

Okay, that’s a lie. But look, photos!

Those roses? Chris dropped them off for Nicole in the middle of the day. We weren’t even here at the time, we had a crazy day. First a friend dropped by to pick up some tutus. Then we went to a friend of mine’s house, her birthday is the same day as Nicole’s! When Nicole was born Chris called in the morning to wish her happy birthday and right away she was like “Did you have the baby?!” because how often does your friend’s husband call you first thing to wish you happy birthday.

After that, we picked up lunch and went to go get mother-daughter manicures. I thought that up this year and decided I want to make it a tradition with my girls, to take them to get their nails done every year for their birthday. I figure as they get older that tradition will continue to be ‘cool’ even when we go through the phase where they figure I am really not. I won’t start with Olivia til she is old enough to sit still, whatever age that is for her. (Possibly 30.)

After the mother-daughter manicures, partway through which my mom appeared and took Olivia for a bit, we went with my mom and youngest brother to an amusement park. This is another tradition, every summer – not necessarily on her birthday but generally for her birthday in a way – we do the amusement park. Last year I was heavily pregnant and sat out, this year Chris was working and sat out. Nicole is fearless and I pretend to be, not too hard as the park is aimed at mostly the younger set.

She has no idea what that gift is. She just knows it has handlebars. Oh, the enthusiasm of youth! I also love that you can clearly tell it is a scooter before she opens it, but since she is four, she can’t.

Our matching nails! I want to get a better picture, I think it might also be fun to get good pictures in good light of our annual manicures and watch Nicole’s hands grow and mine get old. I mean I won’t necessarily enjoy watching my hands get old but I think you know what I mean.

Speaking of getting old, if you’ll excuse me, I need to sleep for a week. I know, I’m young, I’ll shut up. I am too young to feel as old as I do today, ha. Tomorrow I have a big pile of laundry to tackle and the rest of a party to plan. A friend of mine had offered to help and now I’m thinking I might just take her up on that one!

I know I led you on with reference to emotionalism but I will have to save that for another time; I need to get to bed. I have a lot to do tomorrow!