When I was little, I didn’t really ask for much when it was my birthday. But for a few years, all I wanted were helium filled balloons. I was obsessed with them when I saw them at events and outside, and I really wanted them for my own birthday. They looked so magical, floating in the air and making the room they were in seem so festive and fun. My parents didn’t understand what the difference was between helium filled balloons and balloons just filled with air, so they blew up some balloons for me on their own and stuck them on the wall. They said helium was not a possibility (they probably had no idea party supply stores existed for this sole reason, but hey, they didn’t know any better, and/or they just didn’t want to spend the money on this or make the effort). I still remember when they first did this: it was my 5th birthday, and I thought the non-helium balloons were really pathetic. I didn’t understand how helium worked, so I kept on trying to throw them in the air, hoping they would float. Well, they never did. I was actually deflated myself.

So when my friend suggested balloons/party supplies for Kaia’s birthday, I suddenly remembered this and thought, I could live vicariously through my baby and get her a couple balloon arrangements for her birthday! My friend suggested going to Lombard’s nearby, so Chris and I stopped by there today, and I picked out a silver “1” balloon, plus two 13-balloon tiered arrangements of pale pink and pearl colored balloons to create a happy birthday vibe for tomorrow. It would frame the cake when we cut it and create a beautiful backdrop. And with the exchange rate, the amount I paid for these balloons actually didn’t seem so bad!

And yes, let’s be real: when kids are very young, their birthdays are not really about them: they are about the parents and the caregivers throwing the parties. So I was very well aware these balloons were really for me, but hey, they look fun and cheerful, they would make for great photos, and Kaia will be able to look back on these when she’s older and see what efforts we all went to ensure she had a fun and beautiful first birthday party at her Suma and Topa’s beautiful home.