Two

Aidan, yesterday you turned two.  No more one year old boy. 

I think that you sensed that it was your day.  You woke up so early--6:15am which is really unusual for you.  I'm hoping that we're not starting a trend. 

When I went to pick you up out of your crib--which, by the way, you don't seem in a hurry to lose..and, fine by me--you immediately began chanting, "more tommy, more tommy!" ...translated "more Thomas".  You love Thomas the Train, and we've let you and Connor both watch episodes of Thomas the Train while we ease into the day.

Everytime you see one of the engines or freight cars or such, you squeal with delight and point and shout until one of us acknowledges that we've seen it too.  You even get excited, no crazy excited, when you spot the pencil-size Thomas face on your very tiny toddler fork during a meal. 

Your morning routines are pretty predictable these days.  Get up, watch a little cartoon with Connor, drink you mi-mi (milk), and usually refuse whatever food I put in front of you (cheerios end up on the carpet or I find half-slobbered pieces of blueberry waffle all over the house where you've dropped it following Connor.

When I change your diaper in the morning now, you insist on dressing for the day. "Shar! Shorr! Shorrtt!" is your plea for shorts and a shirt.  There's no lounging around in your pj's all morning for you. I think that you're trying to be ready so you don't miss anything.

So, after Thomas and milk and one ditched waffle, we made our way out the door and went to Walmart, so I could hunt supplies for your birthday cake and so Connor could pick out a birthday present for you.

The first lesson that I, as your mommy, learned about my new two year old came only a few hours into your day:  that is, NEVER take you to the toy aisle of any store. NEVER.  Once your keen eyes spotted Lightning McQueen and Mater you screamed over and over til you got your fingers on them.  And, then we made our way down the to the Thomas end of the aisle.  More squeals.  I let Connor pick out a car to give you and a few cars and one Thomas for me and your daddy to give you--I had a large cloth grocery bag that I used to conceal the gifts from your wanting eyes. 

You were fine...until it was time to make our way to check-out.  You were desperate to convince me to turn that buggy around and take you back to those precious toys.  Heads on either side of us turned to see what was making all that noise...and what a dreadful face you gave them.  Sooo pitiful.  As if you were being stripped of all hope of any more happiness in all the world.  And the squealing and anger toward me, the pusher of the buggy.  Angry squawks to turn that buggy around.  To go back right now! 

You fell asleep in the car on the way home.  At 11:15am.  Way earlier than usual (1pm), but remember, you had gotten up like 1 hour earlier than normal, not to mention the tantrum at the store, so you were wiped out.  

Daddy carried you, sweet and sweaty, to your crib and lay you down to nap.

Connor wrapped your gifts after lunch--well, I wrapped and he helped me tape them.  He was very excited to give you your presents later.  (secretly, I think that he also was excited to play with them, but his enthusiasm for your surprises was truly genuine).

I assembled your cake.  It was angel food (I told you it was the cake that angels ate and that's why I wanted to give it to y'all, b/c y'all are my little angels).   I cut the two rectangular cakes to look like a semi truck cab and trailer.  The cab was blue (I'd originally wanted red, but I couldn't get the icing any darker than pink).  The trailer was purple (I added a little blue to the pink icing from earlier).

Connor, of course, couldn't wait for you to wake from your nap.

We had an early supper--pizza from papa john's.  Connor was so sweet to you and you were so excited for the attention.  You didn't eat much;  you seemed a little out of sorts frankly.  You and Connor got down from the table and played while we finished up.

You were so tickled to see the cake.  You immediately pointed and said, "Truck!"  Connor, of course, snuck a few licks.  We sang 'Happy Birthday" and you were the center of our all of our attentions--a rare occasion all at once.  And you loved it!  You couldn't quite give a strong enough 'blow' to get the candles out, but you did reach up and squeeze one of your candles out with you fingers (that fearless curiosity of yours!).

Incidently, you got mad at Daddy for smearing the icing on the cab of the truck when he was stealing a lick--you yelled, "No!  My truck! My truck!"

By the end of it, you and Connor both had purple icing from fingertips to legs.  I saw you put your fingers to your lips a few times, but mostly you just enjoyed playing in it.  Such a sweet sight for a mama to see--her boys having fun and us all enjoying your birthday happy.

After all the icing had been washed off y'all's hands, faces, and all the other crevices, you fell asleep in my arms drinking milk.  I was glad that the earlier bedtime that night (8:15pm) provided a little more light than usual.  I watched your face and how you enjoyed our time with me holding you, rocking back and forth beside your crib.  Your hair fell over your forehead so sweetly and your eyelids fell so that I could see that your eyelashes almost matched the hair on your head.  You clung to me when I picked you up to transfer you to your bed.  I gave you your special blanket, the blue fuzzy on one side and smooth on the other side blanket.  You were out before I even left the room.

Two is looking pretty good so far.