Birthday Traditions

It's always been really interesting to me how different cultures celebrate and what different traditions there are out there.  Its very important to me to have traditions.  I have weekly traditions, holiday traditions, family traditions and so on.  There is something so comforting about having a little routine that you can look back on over the years and remember where you were at the time and what your life was like.  Its neat to me, as a mom, to think that some of the traditions I start now might be passed down to my future grandkids through my daughters.

My very best friend Stephanie, is Mexican.  I love hearing her stories of their traditions, getting lessons on the mexican culture and most of all getting her grandma's authentic mexican cooking.  She has a daughter that just turned 3 and there is a tradition called a "Presentacion" in her culture.  This is the time where the little girl is presented to the church and a big reception follows.  The families and friends band together and pull out all the stops to make an outrageous party, think quincenera but for 3 year olds.  Yesterday, Stephanie and I made some cupcakes for the party to be given out to all the little girls.  There were 20 "special" girls picked to dress up like fairies for the ceremony.  Of course my girls were 2 of them!  While we were making the cupcakes, Steph's grandma was preparing all of the food.  I got to sample everything, including my favorite - cactus.  Made me really glad I dont have a grandma from Mexico cooking for me everyday or I'd weigh a ton!  Isabella, the birthday girl and Avrie had a great time playing outside while we prepped in the kitchen. 

I love to cook - something my dad instilled in me, and it was so awesome for me to learn how to cook some new dishes from such an awesome cook like her grandma.  Today at the party we had a really good time, it was great to see how all the planning turned out.  I only wish that Stephanie would have been able to sit down and enjoy a little of it.  I hope by now she is.  I wish we could have stayed longer but the music and crowd was just a bit much for Piper.  I 'm so mad at myself that I didn't get a picture of Isabella in her ball gown.  I love traditions and learning about them but I think for these type of parties I will remain a spectator and not a participant.  That is of course unless Avrie or Piper request a party like this.  If they do, I know right where I'm going- to Stephanie and her grandma.