Happy Birthday to Jack! Big #2!

So, we've come full circle and the vision of daily antecdotes and adorable stories assembled here with cute accompanying pictures - a virtual scrapbook of our year - has evolved into a quarterly update at best. Well, what can I say - as Jack gets older he just gets cuter and the stories get better - however the spare time for Mom to capture and record them for prosperity, well it just doesn't exist.

But, today is a BIG day for us - Jack is TWO today! It is very difficult for me to believe that 2 years have gone by since that day, but on the other hand it's almost more difficult for me to remember what it was like not to have him around.

This year was the same for me as last - I keep looking at the clock and thinking of what was going on at that very moment on the big day. I can remember exactly when I realized I was going into labor and everything from then on. I definitely remember from the moment they put him in my arms, a lot of what I had been wondering about the world just clicked in. Now, don't be too impressed, I mean I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up and struggle daily with living my best life spiritually, emotionally etc. - I mean I'm just as screwed up as I ever was - with just one big exception - I know for sure that I was meant to be Jack's Mommy. So, it is comforting at least to know that part of my life is exactly as it should be.

As for the day from Jack's perspective - I hope he just has the best time. We've been preparing him and he's had lots of practice with the "Happy Birthday" song because we've had a lot of special birthdays around here lately with Grandma, Uncle Phil, Aunt Karen and Aunt Ashley - so he's learned the words and has understood that his birthday was coming. We asked him how old he was going to be and he kept saying "I be seven" - we explained that no, he was not going to be seven, he was going to be two. So, now he says "I be two - I'll be seven later". Which sadly is true.

We are planning to have a birthday party for him on Sunday and it's been fun planning it - we're going with a jungle theme because as was true last year he still loves anything that has to do with the wild animals - especially monkeys and zebras. So, we have the jungle theme cake ordered and all of the paraphanlia to go along with it - I might have gone the slightest bit overboard, but I don't really think so. I mean you only turn two once right!

This morning when Jack woke up I went in and sang "Happy Birthday" to him (which he sang along with and loudly sang "Uncle Phil" when it cam time for his name). So I told him no, it's not Uncle Phil's birthday, it is Jack's birthday. He just smiled and said, "Yeah, I be two!".

I had hung a Happy Birthday banner on the mantle in the family room and wrapped all of his presents and had them on the hearth so when he walked in the room he would see them. I tried to capture the moment on video, but not sure I got the full effect. As soon as he rounded the corner and took it all in, he said "Wow! Wook at that!" And, of course he immediately started tearing into one so we took a couple in to Daddy and opened them up in bed and played with them for a while. Next it was off to his favorite breakfast spot - THE BAGEL PLACE!(Brueggers). You would think from his reaction when we take him there that we were going to brunch at the Four Seasons - he LOVES the bagel shop. After chowing down our egg sandwiches we then headed back to the house where he opened his brand new, bright red soccer ball and he kicked it with Daddy while Mommy got ready.

Last year for his birthday we took him on his first trip to the zoo, so when we asked him what he wanted to do today we weren't surprised to hear "Go to the zoo!" It has turned into one of his favorite things and we are so lucky to have a great zoo just a few minutes away. We hung out with the zebras and tigers for a while and took the obligatory ride on the train and then headed back home for lunch - HOT DOGS! (I am of the firm belief that on your birthday you get to eat whatever you want so I am fully aware it will not be one of the nutritional highlights of his youth, but oh well).

Now he is napping and I am taking this opportunity to capture a few memories before I hear him up and about - tonight Mamaw is coming over for dinner and a big surprise (she is giving him his very own John Deere tractor mower that he can drive for real - I cannot even wait to see the look on his face!). So, I'll of course post some pics of that surprise and capture some memories from his party this weekend later.

For now, I think I'll sneak a peak at some pictures from the day he was born before he wakes up - corny I know, but I can't help myself.