yes, this

This beautiful baby, our youngest grandchild, is turning two.

There was a feast and celebration.

Dannell generously asked me to bake a cake.   Fancy cakes from the store are wonderful, and I like those too.

But it feels like an honor to bake a cake for someone I love.

These little boys are too much.  p.j. is at her other grandma's in Wisconsin this weekend.   Everybody kind of missed her.

This is Tim.  He's about to grow two feet.   This summer he will be twelve.  The other boys grew at least a foot during those two years.

These guys had so much fun together today it was fun to see.  The hockey on the video game went on and on.

 The Sweetie:

 And the birthday boy:

Someone noticed that while the child opens gifts, the cousins gather closer and closer until they're right on top of each other.

 Even in a stiff wind they were delighted to be outside with the bubble machines, billowing waves of bubbles flying all over the place.

This little Ikea table was put together with miniscule tools:

 Here's a cute picture of m.c. with her mama and Sophie in the middle.

MARIA!

Kirsten took this last picture, and I love it.  It sums up everything about this wonderful day, just a huge happy shout of joy.

There you are in the middle, Mister.

You showed up in this family a couple years ago and you were sooo sweet.  You stayed a baby for a deliciously long time, tender, tiny, and sweet.

It was last winter I mentioned to your mother that you were becoming a little varmint.    You were!  And you've kept on going--faster and funnier, now you're talking, and wow.

Sweet beautiful guy, I love you so.

Thanks for coming to this family and being ours, for all the hours you let us rock you and kiss you.

And now I gotta thank you for rejecting all rocking and kissing in favor of lively, enthusiastic participation in EVERYTHING.

Happy Birthday, Buddy.   love forever, Grandma and Grandpa and Everyboy