What is the right thing to do when your babies die and you want to remember them? There is no right answer! What I have learned this past year is that everyone grieves differently and everyone needs different things to help them through it! For me, talking about them and sharing them with others has been what I needed. So to remember their birthday-which was very tragic as it was also their last day alive with us; we decided to make it special. I want their birthday to be a day that Allie will be able to enjoy and we can celebrate the short lives that her brothers had. Our support group, M.E.N.D., has been so great at helping us figure out what to do. One family had decided to go to a different zoo every year, and that seemed like a great way to celebrate Michael and Jake's 1st Heavenly birthday.
The day before the boys' birthday, we went to a fun little bakery in Newport Beach (We went to California for the week) called Wonderland Bakery. Allie got to pick out 3 cupcakes. Two for the boys and one for her.
She really enjoyed this and wanted more than 3 of them!
We decided after getting them to go ahead and enjoy one that day (Jon bought another one just like it) because Allie wanted to carry the bag out and one cupcake got messed up! Oh well- it was yummy. We also got balloons from the store a couple days before. Allie got to pick out 3 of those as well. She covered all of her bases: Winnie the Pooh, Elmo, and Mickey! Jon got me the 3 white roses that morning and we each had a card for the other person.
Sept. 7, 2010. Getting ready to go to the San Diego Zoo.
Allie asked if we were going to go SEE Michael and Jake at the zoo... I tried my best to explain to her that we will only see them in Heaven one day. Made me sad.
We sang "Happy Birthday" to them in the morning and had the cupcakes that night when we got home.
I had wanted to bring in a balloon, but it was against the zoo policy so we had to leave it at customer relations!
We did a bus tour of the zoo first as the place is HUGE, and Allie loves buses! It was a great way to get an overview and know what to come back to look at. (looking at the giraffes)
A huge yellow python.
Lions, tigers, and bears - oh my!
Loved the panda bears! They are beautiful!
It was a lot of fun watching the Polar bears play!
Can you tell Allie was tired? I tried to get her to take a nap on the long way there... Plus she had been sick all week and still waking up on Texas time (5am)! But she was areal trooper and did great!
She calls Michael and Jake's bears, "her special bears!" I wanted to have them with us that day.
Time for a bear hug!
It was actually VERY hot that day! It was supposed to be high of 80, but I am pretty sure it was closer to 95 with a lot of humidity!
fun photos!
She loved the hand dryer after the petting zoo! (I love her smile)
The sky ride that takes you from one end to the other. We rode it a couple of times for fun! There is so much to do and see and I only put a few of our pictures on here!
This was super neat watching a plane fly along the downtown skyline and we were parallel to it!
It was a good day and it took our minds off of being sad. I want to have joy when I remember the boys because I know they are experiencing joy everyday in Heaven. They are a part of our family and we will continue to have a day to celebrate their lives every year.
2 comments:
I am so glad you guys got away. Away from the normal day to day activities here, away from the house, just away to see new things and have family time. It looks like Allie enjoyed their first birthday! I still cry each time I see those sweet faces in that picture. I love those little boys and I never even met them. They have touched my heart so much. Very sweet post from a very sweet trip.
What a beautiful way to celebrate your boys first birthday! I am sure they are smiling down from above! It looks like Allie had a great time. You are always in my thoughts Tiffany. I know your heart is breaking, and mine breaks with you. You have been in my prayers sweet friend-love you!
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