A 70th Birthday Bonanza for Nena!

Check out this lovely lady…

That’s my Mom and the kids’ beloved Nena. She’s the heart and anchor of the Plaxico family and the best woman that I know.

In honor of Mom turning 70 this April, my sister and Dad masterminded a big, boisterous, super secret, super FUN surprise birthday party.

And boy was Mom surprised!

This was taken right after we burst through the door (and grabbed a few cookies, clearly). I’m sorry, Mom, don’t kill me. I had to post this photo…for posterity’s sake!

Once the Plaxico siblings and our families were all able to gather in Annapolis (and Mom had a chance to do her hair),

we FILLED the house with family and friends who love Mom most!

And then partied like ROCKSTARS!

You know, the kind of rockstars who try to drink responsibly, converse in normal tones, and wear pants.

Well, for that middle one, at least the older subset of us do…most of the time. Except when we’re yelling at our brood of highly spirited children to stop jumping off the furniture and screeching like rabid howler monkeys.

Yep, definitely rockstars.

Where was I? Oh right, the party.

Here’s the Littles’ Uncle Joe blessing the meal.

And then it was chow time!

Oh, how I love any meal that I don’t personally have to cook.

Here’s Dad making a toast for the Lady of the Hour. You know any speech including the presentation of dirty, holey running socks is gonna be good.

Finally, to the kids’ relief, it was present time!
(I’m pretty sure that staring at wrapped gifts for hours without being allowed to open them classifies as torture for Little People.)

The kids all did really well. One guest even commented that they were all “so well behaved.”

HA!!!!

Little did she know that right before there was an eruption of small-people-energy-and-hysteria, the Mamas ushered our crew outside to get their wiggles out.

Aren’t we clever?!?

I don’t know much, but in my years as a parent I have learned that
(sand + fresh air + kids) + (beach chairs + wine + mommies) = GOOD TIMES FOR ALL

Water fight!!!

Yeah, I think we wore them out pretty good.

Well, there you have it – Nena’s 70th birthday. It was a blast, and best of all it gave us a chance to love on the lady who cares for us all so well, with such enthusiasm and devotion.

Cheers to you, Nena! We love you, and we wish you a very HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY!

Celebrating the Little Sir turning TWO!

Hey folks. It’s me, the Little Sir.

I’m here to tell you that it’s pretty sweet to turn TWO.

And to PARTY – PARTY – PARTY
with pancakes, ice cream, pie, cupcakes, and frosting GALORE!
All with candles on top, of course.

My first birthday party was at Grammie and Poppy’s house
with the wacky Wright family.

Don’t believe me with the whole “wacky” bit?
Just check these pictures out and you’ll see what I mean.

My Godparents, Uncle Adam and Aunt Erin, are pretty cool.
And the BEST part about them is that they love ME!

This next picture is of Mama cutting up my peanut butter and chocolate birthday pie.
Though now that I come to think of it, that pie is actually her favorite dessert.

Funny how that worked out.

But it’s cool. I had no problem gettin’ it down the hatch.
Especially with the help of Poppy, my #1 Wingman.

Yeah, being the center of attention – especially when you’re Numero Tres
in the pecking order – is pretty great. Delicious, even!

A few days later I had my second birthday party
with the Plaxicos and a bunch of friends at my DUMP!

I mean my place.

Which isn’t really a dump.
(Mama makes darn tootin’ sure of that.)

Just scroll down and you’ll understand.

It was a birthday party all about garbage trucks, people!

GARBAGE TRUCKS!!!

“O! how I faint when I of you do write.”
(That’s what my pal, Willy Shakespeare, would say.
Maybe because the smell was just too much for him…)

My Nena and Pops came to this party. They are stink-abulous.
(That’s what my gal, Pinkalicious, would say.)

And lots of great pals too!

We played a bunch of garbage truck games and had so much fun!

Well, most of the time.

And everybody made me feel really special.

We played games outside too.
I just love being outside…William is my name and DIRT is my game!

Here’s the Wright Brothers Wrecking Crew, at your service.
(Mama likes it when we’re outside too. I can’t imagine why…)

Everyone got in on the action.

Does anyone else look at this and think it’s gonna end badly?
Just sayin’.

And then it was time for cupcakes!!!!

Or what I prefer to call, “frosting- and candy-carrying vessels.”
Cause when you’re holding a garbage can full of candy, who has time for cake?!?

Yeah, I liked turning TWO…

Filled with candy.
A little bit stinky.
And surrounded by my crew.

A little video snippet…I’m quite the candle blower these days!
(Type in “wright” to watch)

Lil Willy is TWO from M Wright on Vimeo.

Parenting Little People Through Christmas ~ Lessons Learned

Christmas. What a rollicking holiday it can be, chock-full of parties, school performances, church services, cookie baking, gingerbread house making, carol singing, and more. As the parents of (growing) Littles it seems that each Christmas becomes busier than the one before. And so each year the hubs and I try hard to be thoughtful about our family’s holiday plans, aiming to make them heavy on the joy and Jesus and light on the stress and strain. And each year we score some wins, suffer a few fails, and learn a whole lot in the process.

And so as we wrap up our “Round 6” of this whole Parenting Little People Through Christmas experience, I’d like to share a few buds of wisdom that I gleaned from the holiday. Get excited.

1) Despite that internal Mommy voice nagging at you to JUST KEEP SHOOTING, it’s probably best to not get your hopes up for capturing “the perfect” family photo on Christmas morning. Because the chance of finding a moment when everyone is actually looking and cheerful (or at least not p-oed), and no is being pummeled by a sibling is slim to none.

2) No matter how overflowing your daughter’s dress-up box may already be, there can NEVER BE TOO MUCH PRINCESS. We’re talking princess dresses, princess hair, princess art projects, princess books, princess bear (thanks to the financial black hole that is the Build-a-Bear workshop). There’s no end to the princess possibilities! So just lean in, embrace your inner sparkle, and remember that no matter what you buy her she’ll always just want to “look like Elsa.”

3) Boys are simple. And your Little Man can never, ever, ever have enough trains.

Other moving vehicles are neat. Amusing even.

But trains? That’s where it’s at.

As in ALL OVER YOUR HOUSE. (Maybe pick up some steel-toed slippers for yourself while you’re out.)

4) You can, in fact, get away with buying your third-born just 1 or 2 gifts. That is if, and only if, one of those gifts is a “GAH-BAGE TWUCK!!!” Then you’re golden.

5) It’s helpful to marry a man who combines an endearing mixture of creativity, frugality, and complete and utter devotion to his children. The outcome – in the present department, that is – can be pretty fantastic.

6) No matter what you say or do, or how many bibs, utensils, napkins, or threats of “Daddy’s pulling out the garden hose!” you provide, your 3-year-old son WILL turn his Christmas dessert into a sticky, goopy, uber-disgusting face mask. It’s just what he’s gotta do.

7) When you are at the brink of exhaustion, having spent all of your I-must-make-Christmas-magical-and-wonderful-and-memorable-for-my-children-who-would-probably-have-been-just-as-happy-with-a-box-off-styrofoam-peanuts-and-a-spoonful-of-frosting energy, you should dump your kids in the car and MAKE HASTE to your parents-in-laws’ house…

Where you can pawn off your overly-stimulated Littles on their aunts, uncles, and cousins and drown your exhaustion in a plate full of ham and a glass full of vino.

8) And finally, when all of the festivities come to an end and you find a brief moment for reflection (as you squeeze yourself between the mounds ribbons and wrapping paper on your couch), you will ultimately conclude that all of the planning, the late-night projects, the self-imposed stress, and the occasional meltdowns were worth it.

Because of this. (Err…These?)

And because of the birth of JESUS, Christmas IS a beautiful, wonderful, amazing time of year…deserving of every bit of celebration and hoopla we can muster.

(And you have 364 days until you have to pull off the whole crazy feat again!)

A few video snippets from our Christmas morning. Type in “wright” to watch.

Built Wright & Co.

Raising the Littles One Adventure at a Time

Category Archives: Family

A 70th Birthday Bonanza for Nena!

Celebrating the Little Sir turning TWO!

Parenting Little People Through Christmas ~ Lessons Learned