Une Envie de Sel

 During our latest trip to NYC, we were finally able to have a long-delayed dinner with Jane of the amazing children's clothing line Anaïs & I and her family.

I do some illustration for Anaïs & I, and Jane is a treasured friend.

 Q spent the beginning of the evening racing up and down the halls on scooters, in hot pursuit of Jane's youngest son.

 

They have a similar speed ethic, and were fast friends from the start. 

 

This is Anaïs, Jane's daughter and muse for the line (in an Anaïs & I dress). It was her birthday.

Q and Anaïs allaying their boredom during the dinner party ;)

 Anaïs had already had a birthday celebration, but there was some cake left over, and she was eager to re-enact the ceremonies with the new guests. Lucky us, since the cake was elegantly constructed from dozens of layers of crepes with a delicate filling between.

 At this stage of her existence, Q harbors a deep-seated and burning jealousy of watching others blow out their birthday candles.

 It eats her up inside, and on occasion I have actually seen her burst into tears at a restaurant when someone at a neighboring table has a birthday celebration at dessert.

 

So I was incredibly proud at the supreme self-control that she exercised in order to compose this exquisitely polite facade as Anaïs blew out her second birthday candle of the day. As a mother, I can see past the facade, and I know that she is burning up inside at this moment. So I give her a great deal of credit for the angelic facade she was able to compose for this occasion. 

 

After the cake ceremony, all was made well when Anaïs presented Q with a surprise gift box containing a spectacular Anaïs & I party dress (in silver to complement Anaïs' gold version). Both girls changed into their dresses, and all of Q's jealousy was forgotten ;)

 One member of the group, however, was still feeling left out...Lucas (wearing an A&I tee with my balloon elephant design) was dying to join the party, and apparently feeling very left-out...

Being comforted by mommy. Sometimes, it's hard being the youngest.