Happy Birthday!

Today our youngest celebrated his second birthday. We've been excited about it for a while. We decided on a basketball-ish theme (as much as I theme anything, basically it is just the cake and maybe the family gift). The present arrived in the mail about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and the boys and I went shopping for food coloring (try finding orange and black food coloring right before Halloween) yesterday. We had opted for nothing Halloweeney today--so we talked about ghosts on Tuesday and games today in preschool. We made blueberry muffins for breakfast and sang "Happy Birthday" before my husband left for work. The cake was finished shortly after and waited all day in the fridge.

(It's supposed to be a basketball.)

Despite my best planning the day was busy with non-birthday things. I was in charge of preschool, and the county decided to hold an H1N1 vaccine clinic. So after preschool, we opted out of naps, jumped in the car with lunch and a double stroller, and headed to the clinic. For the details of that event see Waiting for the Flu.

We picked up my sweet husband early from work, and came home to make the youngest's favorite dinner: chicken dippers and sweet potato fries. Then we went for the cake and ice cream. After we were done, we pulled out the presents from family and friends and started opening. The youngest caught on to opening, but didn't want to put presents away to open more. He played and played with the toys. (The oldest struggled a little with not being able to open gifts and wanting to play with everything his brother received.) Here are a few pictures.




I can't believe this little guy is two. I remember him being such a little guy and staying so little for so long. Now he talks, runs, skip-walks, dances, and has a very distinct idea of what he does and does not want to do. He's interested in sitting on the potty. He wants to participate in everything his older brother does. He is tender and sincere. We love him!