Bx3 Weekend

Saturday was the Weebles' birthday party. Pretty much everyone she knows on a first name basis (er.. any name basis I guess) was there. We are so blessed to have family and friends that care so much for our kids that they would kill a Saturday night to celebrate a two year old's birthday. She got so many great toys, she didn't know what on earth was going on. I think "present" is her new favorite word. Blowing out the candles on the cake was another big hit for her. But by far the highlight of her evening was an impromptu concert where she managed to get at least half a dozen adults to give her their rapt attention. She danced around the middle of the room assigning different instruments from her new band set. It was quite a racket... I'm not sure how the Peanut managed to sleep through it. The neighbors are quite certain that a bunch of hippies live here now. My composter and eighteen recycling bins already had them whispering.

Then today was the much postponed Baptism for little Peanut. We put it off because he was so fragile at first. He did great. Lunch was great. Everything was great. Even my dad's somewhat inappropriate and totally unexpected prayer on abortion didn't manage to get me worked up. Whatever. After a much too short nap we were off to a company baseball game. Not that we play baseball, mercy no. Nobody give the boss that idea please. The Weebles enjoyed a huge waaay too red snowcone and crashed as soon as we got home.

There's nothing quite as sweet as the exhaustion from a well spent weekend is there?

Takes the cake

The Weebles is allergic to eggs and therefore can't have a regular cake from a regular bakery like most other little kids. This means she automatically misses out on those garish airbrushed Disney designs you can order from the local grocery store. Last year I baked her her very own small cake using applesauce as a replacement and got a regular cake for everyone else. Applesauce works okay but it really does make the cake a little too moist and crumbly. It is tough to eat and a nightmare to frost. Plus, I really suck at decorating cakes. So this year I went with a local high end organic store with a bakery and ordered a vegan cake. I explained to the lady in the bakery that it was for my two year old's birthday and she said no problem. So, I sent my poor husband to pick it up yesterday only a couple of hours before the party. As requested, it said Happy Birthday. At least that is what I think it said. Because the letters looked like they had been written in ice cream and had all totally melted and pooled together. The cake was chocolate, so it was all brown. With some brown icing around the border. And this lettering was in white. And that was it. For a two year old. I'm not sure where the communication broke down but I've ordered dozens of cakes in my life and I've never gotten one that looked more inappropriate for the situation than that one. Not even a flower or something? I.lost.it. My husband saved the day by using a toothpick to remove the illegible white goop and replaced it with colorful candles that spelled out Happy Birthday and some fun pink icing he picked up at the store. Otherwise everything went great. Will post on the big weekend tomorrow.

My little Weebles,

Today you turn two. TWO. As in TWO YEARS. How can that be? We named you Weebles when you were still in my belly, before we even knew you were a she. When I was pregnant I was a little ambivalent I admit. I was happy to be having a baby for sure, but I wasn't so convinced that there was, in fact, a baby in there. But you were in there all right. Shoving things around until you got your space just how you wanted it, only to decide that's not what you wanted at all and demanded that you were ready to be born. Sounds about right.

When we brought you home I loved and guarded you ferociously. I couldn't sleep if you were not within reach. I remember the first night that I moved your bassinette three feet away from the side of the bed so it would be easier for me to get up at night and I woke up and totally freaked out because I hadn't had verification you were breathing for thirty whole minutes. I remember talking to Andrew about how I would never, ever, ever be able to put you in your room at night. That it felt ten thousand miles away from me. Of course we do put you in your room at night now, but lots of nights you still come down and snuggle next to us for at least a couple of hours. And you still feel ten thousand miles away when you aren't right next to me.

You have learned so much. You can walk and run and climb. You can talk and ask questions. You have wonderful manners and love to chat with people in the grocery store. And my God do you love to sing and dance. Sue Faulkner is going to just eat that up with a spoon.

I am still fiercly protective of you, but now that your little brother is here it is different. All my fears and worries and anxiety are not centered only upon you, now I fret over both of you. So you get a break which is one reason why I wanted to have at least two children.

Speaking of your little brother, you are the world's best sister. You never even batted an eye when he came home. You bring him toys and try to show him how to do things. You tell him "it's otay buddy" when he is upset or frustrated. The first thing you ask when you wake up from your nap is "where's drew?" and then when you hear him wake up over the monitor you get all excited and say "brudder's up!" and tug me towards the gate to go upstairs and get him.

The next year will bring many new changes I am sure. I can't wait to see all you learn and how much you grow over the next twelve months. Some days I am sad, I miss you being a baby already. But it is fun to see you branch out on your own and get glimpses of the little girl you are becoming. Just be sure to come back and check in with your mama every now again, kay?

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Full plate

Who had the bright idea to go for NaBloPoMo when I have a million and one things to do? Me? #(#$! After being out and about all last week it has been a mad rush this week to get everything ready for the big birthday/baptism, or B3 as I've started calling it, weekend. I'm assuming I'm not the only one that completely tears everything in their house apart, cleans it and puts it back in a more orderly fashion before company comes right? Right? Sigh. Add to it testing recipes for the pre-baptism breakfast plus trying to care for two kids and an unruly stray dog... and I'm a basketcase. Not to mention finalizing the plans and mailing the invites for Gypsi and Derek's engagement party. I am sooo happy to have finally made decisions there. When did I lose my ability to make a decision? I swear. And my precious little boy has decided that he doesn't want to lie still on his back at all these days. That makes sleeping a little tricky. Poor fella is totally consumed with crawling and can't think about anything else. Unless he is totally out when I tuck him in, he'll flip right over and wake himself up. Classical Baby just ended so on that note, I'm outta here!

Trust but verify

Those are the wisest words I have read in quite awhile. It is all well and good to trust your loved ones. But, when you hear something that doesn't seem to ring quite true or when two people you thought you could trust are telling a different story then you need to make sure you verify it with facts. You know, like the kind you go and get yourself. Not the kind you are spoon fed by one side or the other. So while I trust my husband if he came home after being missing for two days and told me he was "working late" the whole time you'd better believe I'd be seeing some hard evidence before taking his word on it. A whole lotta trouble in this world could be avoided if those words were heeded....

Wordless Monday - Because I'm too tired to write