the bike race adventure birthday

 seven is the land of the in-betweens.
 somewhere between her gap tooth smile and knee socks lies the hallowed ground of seven years, eyes wide open in this world.

seven was celebrated with an

"adventure bike race" party.

seven was celebrated when i was 8 weeks postpartum.

on a bike. with a newborn. and poor communication skills brought on by baby brain fog.

it was humorous. :)

the theme sprung to life through her gift.

a 'big kid' bike.

we have always done gender neutral bikes that they share and pass on.

this was her first bike she won't need to spray paint red. :)

the beginning of this party spelled trouble.

it was complicated.

we were to meet down at the bike trail... parents bringing kids with bikes meeting at the trail. 

me bringing all sorts of party goodness.

me and all babies dropped off with bikes and party goodness while nate and gracious friend dropped  our van at the finish line of adventure bike race. 

van dropped off. friend to return at end of race for bikes in pickup. 

parents and friends and party goodness back at our house.

confused yet??

me too.

i had to draw a diagram with arrows.  

and i still ended up at the trail head alone with babies, kids and guests, melting trail mix in the sun, and the realization that i had to pack up all these decorations and  ride 5 miles on my bike with a basket full of decorations.

and did i mention i was 8 weeks out from birthing a baby??

oy vay.

i smiled and nodded and prayed and sweated bullets.

thus the few pictures of party fun.

but let me tell you... we decorated those bikes up.

 a lifesaver friend ran to the store to buy ziploc bags which had been forgotten..  

while we dug into melted chocolate and pretzels and created our 'trail mix' out of positive attitudes and little girls dreams.   that's the best kind of trail mix anyway. :)

we stashed the party goodness filled laundry basket in the back of a friend's pickup and

  we hit the trail.

babies stashed in bike buckets and strapped in slings.

water breaks for the weary.

goal for the year of seven accomplished.

5 miles. 

5 miles of rusher-a-headers and lagger-behinders.

5 miles of my baby's on a bike in a sling, i won't crash positive self talk.

 7 stops to pump up tires that refused to stay aired up.

1  crash that involved bloody elbows and knees, and the realization that i didn't bring a first aid kit.

4 kids bursting with pride.

testing their limits. 

peddling their hearts out.

5 miles of so very worth it.

back to the house for congratulatory double fudge chocolate cupcakes with raspberry frosting and little chocolate bicycle cupcake toppers..

melted chocolate chips in a plastic baggie with the corner cut off. draw a bike on wax paper. freeze. voila. :) 

(look at that sweet little alien monkey. :) my 8 week old nella...time is a jerk face.) 

bike trail hair. :)

then louie said it was time to go. party's over people.  :)

 

so thankful my girl has a heart that flings itself open.

to adventure. to people. to the celebration of breath itself.

 7 years.

7 years of wearing my heart outside of my body. 

7 years of loving more than i knew i could.

7 years of growing and changing so much at times i was sure i would simply turn inside out.

i wouldn't have wanted to be the me without her.

she is a joy.

i love you arianna jane. 

for seven years and forever. :)