The Birthday Boy

Luke age 2 terrifies and delights me with equal measure.  Our lover and our fighter, our talker who uses the english language for great sweetness and...  He recently entered the "Why, Mama, Why?" phase and demands a throughout explanation yet when I ask him why he hit/bit/bathed himself in yogurt his only response is "'cause."  He's taken to saying "just kidding!" when he gets caught telling a lie.  He's cunning and quick and the sweetest thumb-sucking, sink-into-your-shoulder, chubby cuddler you've ever met.  He loves babies (or toddlers his age as the case may be) and is thrilled when going to church because "I get see BABIES! They cuuuute! I soft with babies, I sing babies...."

And now this baby is 2.  We had a party for him on Thursday which- I had wondered if it'd feel this way year after year-did in fact feel as legit as celebrating Saturday (his actual birthday), or Friday or Wednesday.  His birthday is still a 4 day event to me.  For his party I asked if he wanted a monkey or fish theme.  He was decidedly fish. Mark went all out and this was his birthday gift:

Luke poses with fish tank.  And with a Minnie Mouse sticker on his chin.

I'll admit I wasn't part of the fish tank purchase or setup.  Though I am part/the entirety of the 2-3 times a day feeding, the light and temperature regulation and the act of excavating Luke last night as he climbed on the table, removed the lid and had both his arms swimming with the fish.  The whole setup is actually growing on me.  I'm a sucker.

My gift to Luke was a slideshow.  He loves watching the one I made for Jude's 1st birthday and though I really should have made him one for his 1st birthday too, he seems happy enough with one for his 2nd.