Birthday report

The posts are not hasty at the moment here (I should call the blog poste-slowe). Somehow it seems that when I have lots to report I write even less. I got stuck on a report of Moosh's birthday, which was on the 18th of August. It was lovely.

The Saturday before we had a few big friends over who would be otherwise engaged on the day itself. To keep it low key, we didn't inform them that it was for her B-day, though some of them knew. I wanted simply to create a social occasion, every part of which would be accessible to her, though not necessarily focused on her. We sang some prayers together, had her Baba's specialty smoothies (in lieu of cake), did playdough, and she opened a few presents. It worked out so well. She was happy to say prayers with everyone, and we sang ones she knows (she didn't join in, but sat nicely). Then afterwards she insisted that one of her Aunties (who was saying a prayer for her silently) open her eyes. The smoothies were yummy as always. Baba made them with mangoes, bananas and dates, and 7% yogurt (thick and creamy). It's a treat we can enjoy while staying off sugar.
The playdough was my favorite, fun but calming at the same time. Everyone got into it and Moosh went around seeing what people were making. Sometimes she would play with their creation and sometimes she would just grab it and squish it (and they were all very forgiving). And she opened a few presents.
Here are some pictures of the playdough creations.







For the occasion, we all wore the cat shirts that Auntie Lisbeth in Denmark had given us.


The B-day itself fell on the day we have our toddler and baby musical activity. So for a change we hosted it at our place and served the smoothies again. It was really nice having everybody over. At one point we sang "Happy Birthday" and Moosh also got some lovely presents that she opened later.

In the afternoon of the same day, I took her to visit the Shrine of the Bab, as we did last year. We'd gone the day before, and stopped in the monument garden to say prayers, and I'd tried to explain that the monuments mark the resting places of those who were buried there. She'd wanted to sit under the domes and say prayers, but didn't of course. When we went on her birthday, we met our friends the gardeners, and hearing it was her birthday one of them took her right up to the monument and took a picture. While she was there, we said a prayer too. Though I wouldn't do that with her myself, when it happened I felt that prayers had been said and answered in an exchange beyond the scope of my involvement.

Another gardener friend gave her a flower.


At the Shrine, she selected her favorite Chinese prayer book for her visit. Here she is afterwards returning the prayer book to the case. She does so well in the Shrines these days, sits quietly, usually opens the prayer book or recites a prayer (a little bit outloud, but we'll get to that).


Lillian, two years, in the precints of the Shrine of the Bab. 18/8-08


The same visit on her first birthday.