Ezra's 2nd Birthday Party

Ezra’s first birthday party was an event for Amanda, our families, and me. Though Ezra was the guest of honor, we admitted that a party (or even turning one-year-old) would not mean that much to him. Really, who could blame his indifference?  Over his first 365 days, we pointed out when he turned one-day-old, one-week-old, and one-month-old.  To Ezra, becoming one again in a new unit of measurement probably seemed a silly reason to celebrate. So, when we planned the party we skewed the menu, theme, and atmosphere towards the adults in Ezra's life. Ezra still had a wonderful time.  He was delighted to discover  that such delicious foods as cake and ice cream existed in the world, and he took advantage of so many of his loved ones assembled in one place to walk for the first time. He knows how to give an audience what they want.

At two, Ezra understands the party is for him. He realizes we are celebrating because "It's my birthday!" and "I'm two." He also has, and expresses, clear opinions about his likes and dislikes. This requires planning a very different party than a year ago. One that is more casual. One that is more playful.  And most importantly, one that is filled with balloons!

 
Approximately 100 red balloons filled our church (and emptied my lungs). The air, the floor, and many of the surfaces were covered in a sea of red latex. Hand-painted balloons reading "Ezra's 2" greeted guests as they entered our kitchen. Luckily for everyone's safety, Ezra inspected each balloon to insure its durability prior to the party.

The party's simple menu consisted of appetizers followed by homemade pizzas. Making the dinner even more casual, we encouraged guests to assemble their own pizzas selecting their favorite toppings from the veggies, fake "meat," and a giant vat of homemade pizza sauce we prepared. For dessert, we abandoned the traditional birthday cake and ice cream for ice cream sandwiches. The cookie sandwiches, which consisted of homemade vanilla ice cream  "sandwiched" between two snickerdoodle cookies, were delicious and surprisingly easy to make.

Ezra had a great day. He had fun playing with all of his guests. He loved all of his gifts.  Each present was carefully examined upon opening, and Ezra has been playing with them non-stop since the party.

Eventually the party ended, and a little boy in pajamas with a belly full of cookies and ice cream, a pile of new toys, a house full of balloons, and a new year ahead of him made his way to bed.

Ezra's Birth Revisited: Day 2

It took me months to write my birth story. I started and stopped writing several times, during which Garry – we jokingly agree he's our editor – grew increasingly impatient with me and my inability to meet his deadlines. So he formulated a new approach: an interview. Garry prepared a set of questions and gave them to me to review before we sat down for a face-to-face interview. Really. I had expected it to be an interview in name only, but Garry can be very formal at times. It must be the stuffiness gene he inherited from his British grandmother.

Garry and I agree this is the best birth story in the series. It's honest, forthcoming, and has some very good advice for expectant mothers and families.

An Exclusive Postilius Interview

photo by Stefanie Boucher

Amanda agreed to sit down with Postilius to talk about the birth of her first child, Ezra. Amanda, dressed in jeans and tee shirt, had already arrived at the coffee shop we planned to meet. She causally held Ezra on her lap while sipping one of the first cups of coffee she has had now that she is no longer pregnant.    

Postilius: Hello, and congratulations on Ezra’s birth. He really is a beautiful baby! 

Amanda: Thank you. I am glad to be here. I love your [our?] site. 

P: Before we get into too many details

Snapshots: September 26-October 1

This week we . . .

 became superheroes,

picked pumpkins,

made important phone calls,

played with chickens,

and celebrated becoming 2! (a little early)

Ezra's Birth Revisited: Day 1

We are mere days from Ezra's second birthday! Over the next several days we're republishing the birth stories shared with us by those in attendance, starting today with Garry's, The Legend of Ezra Oak.

Three days after Ezra's birth, we posted a brief birth announcement and photo on this blog. While we were excited to share the news of Ezra's birth and immediately called our family members after he was born, actually sitting down at the computer to write Ezra's birth announcement seemed difficult. During our two-week babymoom, it was easy for us to sever our connection from the outside world, so I'm always surprised to hear of families live-tweeting births and even broadcasting a birth live on the Internet.

Ezra Oak Milius-Posto

was born at home
on October 9th.
He weighed 6 pounds 9 ounces,
and measured 19 inches in length.

Garry crafted the shortest, but most lyrical story of Ezra's birth. Among Ezra's birth stories, it is truly a story. 

The Legend of Ezra Oak

Ezra Oak was born in a church on a brisk, October evening. The same church he was conceived nine months earlier. The same church his parents moved into three years before that, and the same church that has sat atop a hill of a small town for a hundred years.

Though the beginning and the end of the pregnancy happened in a church, his mother spent most of the pregnancy in buildings of science, and that is where his birth began. Without warning, among the pheromones of birds of all species, his mother’s bag of waters burst. Since she was not expecting him for several days his mother, now joined by his father, finished preparing for Ezra’s arrival and returned to their home.

Ezra was eager. From the beginning, contractions were strong and close. His mother moaned, breathed, cried, and screamed. His father held her hand. They awaited assistance. She was hot. She opened windows filling the church with a cool, autumn breeze. Could the neighbors hear? People arrived and she pushed. She had little rest. His father still held her hand. She was strong. A black cat watched. A second one hid. A little girl stopped catching fairies for a moment to announce the emergence of his head. Ezra’s body quickly followed. His grey skin turned pink with his first breath. He was quiet but not yet content. He found his place on his mother’s breast. She placed a yellow hat over his dark hair. She kept him warm. She fed him. He was happy. The life of Ezra Oak had begun.

And yes, a little girl was really catching fairies. The apprentice midwife's two-year old daughter was catching fairies on a cell phone game for much of Ezra's birth.