Why we threw my son's teddy bear a birthday party

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Bay! Happy birthday to you!" 

"Blow out the candle, Bay!" my son, Sam, said to his beloved teddy bear. He blew the candle out for him, and we all cheered.

Yes, we threw my son's teddy bear a birthday party complete with treats, candles, a present and a big birthday wish. Why? Because kids are only little once. They're only completely innocent and believe in magic once. And you bet I am going to make every second count.

"What do you think Bay wished for?" I asked Sam.

He shrugged and, finally, after some prodding and poking from my husband and me, he suggested Bay probably wished for a new bow tie for his daily attire.

Bay came into our lives on Feb. 28, 2014. I was nearing the end of my maternity leave after having Sam and, with it being a nice day, we decided to get out of the house for a bit. After a brutally cold winter (it was the first winter I heard the term "polar vortex"), it was really nice to be outside. We stopped at a little shop called The Pearly Owl. I looked around for a bit and there, high on a shelf, was this adorable little light brown teddy bear.

I grabbed the bear, knelt down by Sam and showed him. Then only two months old, he gave a little smile, and so I decided then and there that I'd buy him. I had no idea then what an important part of our family Bay â€" named by Sam who couldn't quite say "bear" â€" would become.  

That bear has gone everywhere with us. He's been on every vacation. Every trip to grandma and grandpa's house. He's been to daycare and to school. He's been lost and found. And today, he's still very much a favorite of 6-year-old Sam. If Sam can bring a toy with him in the car, nine times out of 10 he'll pick Bay. 

When I told Sam on Friday that it was Bay's birthday, he beamed. "How old is he?" he asked.

"Six!" I told him. "Just like you!" 

Sam then suggested we go to the store and get Bay a present and throw him a birthday party. I could see no reason why this wasn't a perfectly normal and awesome thing to do. So we went to Target and shopped for Bay. We got him the tiniest and most adorable picture frame so we could put a picture of Sam and Bay in it. We also got frosted cookies, candles, a tiny cake holder and little gift bags.

On Saturday morning we finally threw the party after both Sam and his brother, Elliott, asked about 100 times. First, Sam said we had to hide Bay so he wouldn't know what we were up to. So he took him in his room and shut the door. Then we wrapped his present and set everything up. Once we were ready, we brought Bay out, and Sam and Elliott showed him everything. Then we sang happy birthday, and each enjoyed a delicious cookie (both boys tried to feed Bay some cookie, too, and now he might need another bath). Then we packed up and had a fun day out at grandma and grandpa's farm.

What a spoiled bear Bay is!

After the party was over, Elliott asked when his Bay's birthday is. (Without any urging from us, Elliott named his own favorite bear as "Bay.") I told him April 17, the day grandma gave that bear to us, and I promised we could throw his Bay a birthday party, too.

So I guess yearly teddy bear birthday parties are going to become a thing in my house. And you know what? I'm more than OK with it. More make believe. More celebrations. More goodies. More happiness.

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