Mara's Birthday

Mara's birthday started off with some crazy hair! Her hair is growing in quickly, and I think it's going to be thick like Mama's. I love when it sticks up all over the place! She was happy to see both Daddy AND Mama when she got up that morning! Usually I am already at work when she gets up. I took the day off to spend with her, and to run errands.

After breakfast we got ready and went to tour a daycare center. Jay will be back in school full time in the fall, so we need to find daycare again for Mara. I am already stressed out and nervous about it. We are hoping we can afford a center this time. I like the idea of an in-home setting, but it just didn't work that well for us previously. With a center there won't be unexpected days off for the provider, the hours are better (more flexibility) and there are lots more activities and structure to the day. So we are checking out quite a few to see what our best options are. This was the second one we visitied, and we have an appointment to visit another on one Monday. Then I have a request in to one other place to get more information. These places all have waiting lists, but hopefully by getting our name on them NOW, we'll be set in the fall.

After the daycare tour, we went to apply for Mara's passport. We're going to Toronto in July and with the new laws, Mara will now need a passport. Last summer we drove there, and just brought her birth certificate, but this year we'll be flying (THAT should be interesting!). So, after a fiasco with the photo size, running back to the photo place to get it re-taken, finding something to do while they developed it -- we were BACK at the passport office to finally put in the application.

Mara took a nice nap after we finally got home. If it had been nicer out we probably would have played outside in the afternoon, but instead we played inside. Jay had class in the evening, so Mara and I hung out. She played with her birthday balloons, and I wrapped up some new jammies for her to open, so that she'd have at least one present on her actual birthday.

Finally, it was time for bed. I got a little sad after putting her to bed. It's crazy how fast a year has gone, and how much she has grown. I know the next year will go just as fast. Before I know it, she'll be leaving for college!! Ok, maybe not THAT fast. But it's definitly a reminder to enjoy every minute!