Logan’s new furniture arrived mid-morning, and Sophia spent much of the afternoon turning his room into the cutest little ocean scene imaginable. There were seaweed decals for the walls, seashell-shaped lamps, and a blue rug that looked like reflections on the ocean floor. Desiree kept him entertained while I baked his cake, and Sophia finished a few last-minute chores before the guests arrived.
I’d invited Dub so he could finally meet Logan, but he and Tami were off on some grand father-daughter adventure in Tomarang for her birthday. Maira and her husband were busy with a new foal. And though we had no hard feelings toward Chi Chi, we decided it was still too soon to see her again. In the end, we kept it simple. A quiet family affair felt right for our little guy.
Alessia showed up looking full-on ranch chic with the nuggets in tow. I swear, those kids grow faster every time I see them. Arvin’s hair was wild and glorious, and both he and Lex were working on their first attempts at facial hair. Breanna had traded her pink hair for red and joined Desi in the flat iron era. The baby might be aging up, but at least he’s not a grown man yet.
We hadn’t eaten lunch, so we skipped straight to cake. Sophia took charge of lighting the candles and helping Logan blow them out. It only felt right for her to do it after everything we’d been through and how far we’d come as a family.
“Okay, LoLo,” Desiree said, crouching beside him. “Don’t let me down.”
“LoLo?” I asked. “What happened to Logi Bear?”
She grinned. “That’s such a baby name, Daddy. He needed a rebrand.”
I snorted. “Oh, so he’s a business now?”
“No,” Sophia said, stepping in with that mom energy. “He’s a big boy—and he’s about to blow out all these candles!”
We all grabbed noisemakers and confetti poppers, filling the room with a glorious racket. Logan didn’t know we were cheering for him; he thought he was part of the show. He screamed and bounced in Sophia’s arms, waving his little fists like he’d just won a medal.
Sophia brought him closer to the cake. “Come on, sweet pea. Blow!” She puffed one candle out as a demo.
He leaned forward, gave it his best shot, and ended up spitting a full raspberry across the frosting. We all lost it. Sophia let him try again—twice—before finishing them off for him.
The sparkles came next. You’d think after all these years I’d be used to the sight of age-up twinkles, but I still get choked up every time. When they faded, there he was—our Logan, taller now, all smiles and energy, ready to take on the world. I’m pretty sure he had some unfinished business with Breanna, because he marched straight over to her and demanded attention. I think he surprised her too.
Sophia picked him up afterward and set him in his brand-new chair so he could “hang out with the big kids.” The sight of him sitting there—legs barely long enough to reach the floor—nearly did me in.
When everyone left and the house went quiet again, we brought out the one gift we knew would top them all: a brand-new car set. Logan squealed like it was the greatest thing he’d ever seen. Maybe it was. For now, it was everything.
