Happy Birthday, BBJ!

Oh, BBJ. You're two. You're not my baby anymore! We had a birthday party for you tonight...and we realized that you are an introvert...but I think your Grandma put it best - you're an Introvert Diva. When you're home alone, you love to perform, and will do almost anything for a laugh. When we put you with the other kids tonight to play, though, you just sat on the sidelines to watch. When you got bored with watching, you sat in the other room to play with your toys in the corner. I wasn't sure if you were just taking some alone time....or guarding your toys from the other kids! In the end, I suppose it comes to the same result!

We had so much fun though. After church, you took a very long nap. When you woke up, everyone had arrived for your party. You were so excited when I told you that MaMa, YehYeh, Aunt Jan, Uncle Ike, SheShe, Uncle Glen, Kim, Ken, Boy, Ella, Baby, Megan, Matt, and two more boys were outside waiting for you!

We had such a yummy dinner. Mommy made her ChaSiu Ribs, SheShe brought her Pasta Salad and some killer spinach dip, Kim brought apple dippers and Megan brough corn. Yum, yum! You sat in your Dad's lap, and you ate like a champ.

After all the kids burned off some energy, you set about opening all your presents...which took quite a while! There was a new Princess table from SheShe, blocks and books from GuGu (your Aunt), a new Purse from Kim, and CLOTHES from Daddy, Grandma, Grandma, MaMa and YehYeh. Oh, and a new booster seat, since you insist on eating at the table with us. Oh, and you got Crayon Nibblers and handmade felt barrettes from Aunt Myrnie, but I don't think you know that yet. At first glance, the crayons look like small muffins, and the barrettes are still wrapped in tissue for safe keeping. Maybe we'll play with the crayons tomorrow!

The biggest shock, though, was when we got out your cake. I lit your two little candles, and you refused to blow them out in front of all those people. I made one of our favorite cakes - a chocolate-rasberry Jell-O cake with orange juice glaze. I even made peach ice cream with chocolate chips!! I put you in your high chair with a plate and a spoon and a bib and I told you to go to town. You refused to use your hands, insisting that I cut the cake up into bite-sized pieces. You ate half of your small piece of cake, and asked to be excused from the table. I was almost crying, inside. "What? My baby won't eat her birthday cake? My baby won't pick up her birthday cake with her hands? There are no crumbs anywhere?! Where did my baby go?!!"

My baby is growing up. Grandpa is going to buy you a brand new bed for your birthday - a Big Girl bed, with no cage around it like your crib has. I haven't ordered it yet, because I'm not ready for my Baby to be a Big Girl. I'm also not ready for the inevitable power struggle to keep you in your bed at night. However, Baby Brother will be here soon, and it will be time for you to be his Big Sister.

Mommy's just not ready yet, even if you are. We love you, BBJ. Happy Birthday!