WSP: Six Months

I’ve always argued that half-birthdays are under-celebrated events. To prove my point, I once told a co-instructor who was leading a backpacking trip with me through the Frying Pan Wilderness Area in the Colorado Rockies that I would be celebrating my birthday while we were out in the backcountry. I was, however, alarmed and confused when – on the morning of October 10 – I awoke at 5 a.m. to a singing sea of headlamps swimming towards my tarp. I made out the sound of 10 teenage voices singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ but it took a minute for it to dawn on me what was happening. Those poor students had rallied before dawn to bake me a Bunsen-burner chocolate cake and a fat pot of coffee . . . my two favorite things on a camping trip . . . because they thought it was my REAL birthday. They had even made me a sculpture out of sticks and rocks and they all crawled under my tarp and sat around while I sliced up the goods to share. “How old are you?” somebody ventured to ask. I smiled like the Cheshire Cat: Twenty-four . . . and a half! The groan could be heard down the valley. I felt guilty, but only for a second. Then I ate that yummy, slightly burnt, chocolate cake. To this day, I receive a happy birthday email from my former boss on October 10.

So, on Sawyer’s half-birthday, I had hoped for a jovial little celebration. Instead I spent the day packing up the old house and Scott spent the day installing cabinets at the new house and Sawyer was left to entertain himself for most of the day on the floor. I did, however, stop to take a few video clips of him for posterity’s sake. In the first video, he laughs and sits up (both noteworthy milestones). It’s a little long and uneventful, but the point is that he can sit up now for extended periods of time, which I think is impressive at his age. Also notice how he responds to his name – another important milestone.

The second video clip came by way of a half-birthday present from God. It’s Sawyer’s first snow. The whole family took a break to celebrate. Sawyer seemed to wonder: What’s the big deal? Mom was just a goofy happy fool.