snapshot of the day: two pots of tea, pretty china teacups, a heart-topped cupcake, a book written and illustrated just for emma, painting daddy’s fingernails sparkly-purple, Tito Aaron, Tita Jamie & Tito Brian putting on an impromptu play at the table (something about the sun and moon, using some art that emma brought to the party), singing her happy birthday mix over and over, getting her first bicycle and riding through the halls and apartment, late-night brownie-baking, adults playing simultaneous games of scrabble and basketball while em mastered and re-mastered her birthday puzzles, reading her new books with/to her new stuffed animals, fixing up the dollhouse with the new furniture grandma sent, wearing her new hello kitty bracelets, dancing and playing and riding until the very wee hours of night…

our beautiful family (near and far) and friends who think so much of emma, who nurture and love and work so hard to be a presence in our lives…these are the important things in life. these are the people that really matter, and the days we’ll never forget.