At my daughter’s birthday party, she pointed at my stepmom and said something strange. I laughed at first. Then I realized what she actually meant.

For my daughter Ariel’s third birthday, my husband, Glen, and I decided to keep things simple and celebrate at home with a family pool party.

Her preschool friends came over, along with pretty much our entire family. The backyard filled up fast—kids splashing in the pool, adults talking around the food table, people moving between the water and the lawn chairs.