Kate's birthday

Kate's 2nd birthday was last Sunday. Here's about how it went.

- Kate woke up happy, talking about something or other, and we brought her into bed with us. Jack came in too. Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!

- Cereal and fruit for Kate. Backyardigans on TV. Jack's Big Music Show. Kate requests Backyardigans by saying, "Pablo? Pablo?" (Sounds a bit more like "Pabool? Pabool") She requests Jack's Big Music Show by saying, "Music? Music?" (This reminds me of how when Jack was maybe a little older than her, and we showed the show to him once and he didn't like it; something on it scared him. He said, sadly, "Don't like my big music show!"

- I decided I couldn't do EVERYTHING while Kate was napping, so I started setting up the decorations while Emily was out getting groceries. I got the extra leaf for the table out, then threw on the Backyardigans tablecloth. Kate's eyes got big. Of course, she didn't really understand that it was a tablecloth and not a wonderful blanket for her to walk around clutching, but eventually she came around. She knelt in the chair at the table and touched the different pictures. "Pabool! Tasha!" I hung streamers and pulled out the party hats, one for Kate, Jack, and me. Kate gradually laid claim to all of them, including ours, and lined them up on the coffee table. Shifted them a bit, lined them up again. She did this for a good 10 or 15 minutes, while I continued to hang streamers and "Happy Birthday" decorations.

- Jack and I went out to get balloons, wine, and I forget what else. Seems like we had a lot of errands though. I squeezed the balloons into the back of the CRV. I said, Jack, are you being squashed? "No, Daddy, they're barely touching me." I moved the balloons slightly.

- By the time we got back with the balloons, Kate was napping. We set up the balloons across the house. Jack asked about his gift bag. He was kind of focused on that, actually.

-Nana and Baba showed up. Jack showed them pictures he'd made for them. Football started!

- Kate woke up. I had thought she'd wear a dress, but apparently she protested. Polo shirt and little shorts. Very cute.

- Momentarily wary of Nana and Baba, who she hadn't seen in a few months, then came around. Talking up a storm at Baba. Often during the afternoon she'd command his attention. She did this by yelling, "BAH-BAH!"

- Cousins showed up, playing commenced. Then presents. A big hit were these "Tickle Me Elmo" furry hands, that had batteries and could be used to tickle, they'd kind of vibrate when you put them on. For a good 10 minutes, she played with them with Baba as he sat on the couch and she stood next to him. Wearing a hand, she touched him, it vibrated, and they'd both make a big "Ooooooooo" face, and then crack up at each other making the face, and then crack up at each other cracking up. Then she'd reach out the hand again, and it would start all over. It was absolutely awesome, I wish I could bottle it.

- Dinner, followed by birthday cake. Emily served Kate a plate of cake, which she ignored in favor of sticking her finger into the actual cake for icing and licking it off.

- I gave out gift bag toys. Wacky sunglasses were the biggest hit with Kate. She walked around wearing them, the lenses quickly broken out. She looked funny.

- Family left. We realized we forgot to give her her big present, a tricycle. Brought it out and pushed her around. She put her new stuffed Elmo into the basket. Jack played with gift bag toys.

- I washed Kate up, put her in her pajamas, read her a story, turned out the light. "Sun?" she said. I sang her favorite song these days, Mr. Sun.

-Good night, Kate.