Just before four o'clock in the morning on October 8, 1985, Lorelai stood next to Rory's crib watching her sleep. At 4:03 Lorelai gently picked Rory up and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, little girl." Rory stirred, but quickly settled against her mother's chest without waking.

Lorelai carried Rory across the room and set her down in the middle of the bed. She placed a pillow on one side of Rory and laid down on the other. Lorelai lay on her side, facing Rory. She ran her fingers through Rory's hair.

"I can't believe how fast you're growing up," Lorelai whispered. "Trust me, it's fast. What do you think of your life so far?" She paused as if waiting for Rory to answer. "Any complaints?" She paused again. "Alright. I'll work on making sure you get more snuggles." Rory sighed in her sleep. "You look older. You walk into Denny's before five, you've got yourself a discount. So, you know what I think? I think you're a great, cool kid and the best friend a girl could have. And it's so hard to believe that at exactly this time, many moons ago, I was laying in exactly the same position. Only I had a huge, fat stomach and big, fat ankles and I was swearing like a sailor on leave. There I was in labor and while some have called it the most meaningful experience of your life, to me it was something more akin to doing the splits on a crate of dynamite. I was screaming and swearing and being surrounded as I was by a hundred prominent doctors, I just assumed that there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me. There wasn't, but pelting the nurses sure was fun." Lorelai giggled softly at her own joke. "When it was all over, one of those prominent doctors put you on my chest. You were all red and wrinkly, but you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. That was the moment I knew I'd do anything for you." Lorelai kissed Rory's forehead again. "I love you so much, sweet girl. Happy first birthday."

L&L L&L L&L

A couple hours later, Lorelai was awakened by someone repeatedly poking her in the face. She opened her eyes to see Rory sitting next to her, happily sucking her thumb while she poked Lorelai's face.

"Mama!" Rory squealed with delight when she realized Lorelai was awake.

Lorelai rolled onto her back, pulling Rory with her. Rory laid her head on Lorelai's chest and resumed sucking her thumb. Lorelai pressed a kiss to the top of Rory's head and said, "Happy birthday, sweet girl. Do you want your birthday present?"

Rory lifted her head and pulled her thumb from her mouth. "Yeah!"

"I like the enthusiasm," Lorelai said with a chuckle. She sat up, turned Rory around to sit in her lap, and leaned over the side of the bed to pick up a rectangular box wrapped in pale pink paper, which she set on the bed in front of Rory. Rory leaned forward and started smacking the box with both hands. Lorelai tore open one corner of the wrapping paper and then Rory finished tearing off the paper. After Lorelai opened the box, Rory eagerly grabbed for the blanket inside, hugging it to her chest. The blanket had been made by Lorelai out of old flannel shirts belonging to Luke and William. It was nearly identical to the blanket Lorelai had made Jess for his birthday.

L&L L&L L&L

"Lu! Lu! Lu!" Rory cried as she toddled across the kitchen as fast as she could manage, dragging her new blanket behind her. Lorelai followed behind her at a more sedate pace, smiling as Rory crashed into Luke's legs.

Luke picked Rory up and kissed her cheek. "Happy birthday, Rory."

"Lu!" Rory cried again, holding her blanket in front of Luke's face.

"I see. Did your mommy make that for you?"

"Mama," Rory confirmed.

"There's the birthday girl!" William exclaimed happily as he walked into the kitchen holding Jess' hand. Jess was clutching his blanket tightly against his chest. When Jess caught sight of everyone else, he let go of William's hand and launched himself at his father's legs.

"Ro! Ro!" Jess called excitedly to his friend.

"Ess!" Rory screeched and reached both hands toward Jess, leaning away from Luke at a precarious angle, trusting him not to let her fall.

Luke set her down next to Jess and ruffled Jess' hair. "I see where I rank," Luke said, laughing.

The babies sat down on the floor, babbling incoherently to each other. Jess pulled out a book that had been hidden in his blanket. He set the book on the floor between them and opened it to the first page. For several minutes, the adults watched Jess and Rory pretend to read The Cat in the Hat.

"What's for breakfast?" William asked, pulling Luke and Lorelai's attention away from the babies.

"I thought I'd make pancakes," Luke answered. "Maybe throw is some chocolate chips for the birthday girl."

"Not just for the birthday girl, right?" Lorelai hinted, eliciting a chuckle from William.

Luke rolled his eyes. "No, not just for her."

L&L L&L L&L

Lorelai was standing on a dining room chair in the middle of the living room, securing a pink streamer to the ceiling. "You know, you really didn't have to do this," she said.

"Do what?" Luke asked. "Help you hang streamers?"

"No, well, yes, that too, but what I meant was that you didn't have to throw Rory a birthday party."

"Says the woman who insisted I throw Jess a birthday party," Luke scoffed. He handed Lorelai a piece of tape for the yellow streamer she was twisting into place.

"Thanks." She took the tape. "That was different." She jumped off the chair, moved it over a couple of feet, and climbed back up.

Luke handed her another pink streamer. "How?"

"Jess is your kid and you could afford to throw him a party." She held her hand out to Luke. "Tape, please."

He gave her a piece of tape. "And?"

Lorelai taped the streamer to the ceiling, then turned to look down at Luke. "And Rory is my kid and I can't afford to throw her a party this year," she explained bluntly.

"Lorelai, I've told you, I consider Rory to be a little bit mine."

"I know, but…"

Luke held up one hand to cut her off. "No buts."

Lorelai snickered.

Luke ignored her laughter. "Seriously, Lorelai, I threw a party for Jess and I want to throw one for Rory too. Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed.

"Good." He placed his hands on her hips. "Come here." When she put her hands on his shoulders, he helped her off the chair. Once she was on the floor, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her sweetly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

L&L L&L L&L

A week after Rory's birthday, the living room was still decorated with pink and yellow streamers and Care Bears balloons. Luke and Lorelai were supposed to be cleaning up the decorations, but were instead looking at the pictures from Rory's birthday party that Lorelai had picked up on her way home from work. They were sitting on the couch and Luke had draped one arm around Lorelai's shoulders while she flipped through the pictures. When a close-up picture of Rory smiling widely at the camera appeared at the top of the stack of pictures, Lorelai hesitated. She ran her finger over the image of her daughter's face and chewed her bottom lip. "I think I want to send this one to my parents."

"Okay."

"Okay? You don't think it's a bad idea?"

"They're your parents. If you want to reach out, I'll support you."

"Thanks."

"Are you going to write them a letter too?"

Lorelai shook her head. "I think I'll just send the picture."

"Okay."

"Do you think your dad has an envelope and stamp I could have?"

"Probably. Are you going to mail it now?"

"Yeah. I want to do it before I lose my nerve."

Luke kissed her temple and stood up. "I'll go find an envelope and a stamp."