Half of my heart

Where has the time gone?

I wake up to Bri's feet right in my face and notice the blankets are all the way at the bottom of the bed. Brad is looking over at me half awake trying to hold her feet together so she stops kicking us. I can't believe she's still asleep right now. It's her second birthday and all she's been talking about recently is her party today.

"Did you bring her in here?" Brad asks as he picks her up and lays her the normal way "How the hell does she sleep like that?"

"Yeah she woke up around 3." I move her hair out of her face and stare at her for a little "I can't believe she's two already." Flashbacks come back to me; the day she was born and I held her for the first time, her first laugh, her first steps, first words. Every major thing she's done comes back to me.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRI!!" Everyone yells after singing to her. She yells "Thank you" back to them and continues shoving her face in her cake. It's almost as messy as her first birthday when she got it all over everything. She has to eat it fast so she can get back to all the games she wants to play.

"She's so happy." Brad says as he walks up behind me "She really likes all the games."

I turn around to face him and laugh at the pink and purple face paint he let Bri put on him "It is a fun party." The kids that aren't eating are running through the sprinkler, in the pool or painting on each other. They're all laughing and having a good time.

"Mommy!" Bri yells from her seat. I go over and she says she's done eating so I try my best to wash her off, then decide to just stand her at the sprinkler and let that do its job "You have to run around." I tell her and walk with her through it getting my clothes drenched. She gets cleaned off and decides she wants to do my face paint so we go over and sit in the grass where it's set up.

I sit her on my lap so she can reach my face "Just be careful you don't get it in my eyes." I warn her and she picks up the brush. She gets as much paint as she can on it letting it all drip on my shirt.

"It messy." She says looking up at me. I just laugh and let it go. The shirt probably won't fit next week anyway.

She carefully takes what's left of the paint and starts to 'draw' on my face "Mommy look pretty" she says as she continues to paint. I try to keep my eyes clothes but she starts laughing so I open them to look in a mirror. I look like a clown.

"You did really good, sweetie!" I try to make her feel good about it. "Can I do yours now?"

She hands me the brush "Yeah you do mine."

I wipe off the brush and carefully stroke her face trying to make a butterfly like she asked. She keeps moving and laughing because it tickles so it gets a little messed up, but she's happy with it when I'm done and runs off to play games with the others.

Brad is standing at one of the games where the kids are throwing balls to see who can get it the farthest. He helps them throw it and then gives the one that wins some candy. The kids in line are jumping up and down high off of sugar trying to wait patiently for their turn. I grab a handful of candy from the container and Brad tries to stop me.

"You aren't supposed to eat that much sugar."

I laugh at him and grab some more "It's for the kids." I go to the line and give a piece to each of them. I don't care how much sugar they have, they aren't my problem after the party ends.

The sound of people laughing is taking over. Adults are standing around talking to each other and the kids are all yelling and laughing as they play their games. It makes me happy to see all of them having fun. Especially Bri who hasn't sat down still for the whole party. Our parents are all sitting on the deck talking to each other and my mom and dad are actually being civil. I decide to go over and see what they're talking about since they all seem to be having a good time.

"Cute face." My mom jokes as she sees me walking over "Did Bri do it?"

I shake my head and sit in the seat next to her "Yeah, she said it looked pretty. I think I look like a clown." They all laugh and we start talking about other things. I look to the side of the yard and something catches my eye. Brad is chasing Bri through the grass in circles and she is trying to run fast enough so he can't catch her, but her little legs don't go that fast. He catches up to her and picks her up making her squeal and laugh. I smile. She's happy.