Alana's Birthday

For a small child, a birthday is magic. Balloons and banners, cake and presents, all blur together in a whirlwind of color and attention.

A third birthday is perhaps the most special of all: a first birthday won’t be remembered; a second birthday won’t be understood.

But at a third birthday....

She can talk....

She can dance....

She can jump....

She can open her own presents without any help....

And she can read her new books and play with her own toys.

Alana was three yesterday.

For her, it was magic.

And it was magic for all the adults around her, too.