Whew...2!

Who knew turning 2 could be so exhausting! Today is Gabriel's 2nd birthday, but we have been celebrating since Saturday (well really before that if you count all the days of anticipation we built up before Gabriel's party). Gabriel knew all week that his birthday was on the horizon and was particularly excited about his birthday party and birthday presents...for example, when a large brown box arrived in the mail from my parents, Gabriel pointed and said "birthday presents!". Smarty pants.

We had been checking the weather incessantly all week in hopes that Gabriel's party, scheduled to be out in Central Park, would not get rained out (like last year!). It was a gorgeous day, much to our relief. Gabriel's friends from soccer, moms group and children's church were all there to celebrate and partake in the dinosaur shaped cake made of cupcakes. Bubbles, sidewalk chalk, balls, digging in the dirt, and 2 hours later, it was time time pack up the party in the park and head back home for presents. Between the food and supply prep before the party, including icing the cupcakes and running out of the frosting we made 20 minutes before the party was supposed to start, getting everything out to he park and setting up, entertaining and cleaning up, we were all pretty tired. PS, Andy saved the day and literally ran to the grocery store for more icing, ran back AND got all of the cupcakes iced in time!

We all mustered one more wave of energy for birthday presents when we got home...already nearing Gabriel's bedtime since it was a late afternoon party, we quickly rushed the bedtime routine and let Gabriel open his gifts in his PJ's just before bed. He had a ball ripping into his gifts, but was pretty tired. I don't think he really was able to enjoy them until the next day! His big present was a scooter! As tired as he was, he started riding the scooter around the apartment before going to bed. 

Sunday felt like a continuation of the celebrating, we had a nice brunch after church for Mother's Day, then headed over to Riverside Park for a get together with a group friends to close out the day...cocktails for the parents while all the kiddos got to play together and have some delicious snacks to boot. Gabriel rode/pushed/got pulled on his scooter on the way up there and back...he was so cute in his little helmet trying to push the scooter. He is so proud of it! Gabriel also received a bunch of birthday wishes from friends at the get together, then we headed home for a skype session with Mimi and DD before bed...another long day.

Finally Gabriel's actual birthday arrived! Luckily, Aunt Steph is in town, so Gabriel spent nearly 3 hours in the park and on the playgrounds to kick off his birthday morning. We had been telling Gabriel all day that since it was his birthday he got to choose what we had for dinner that night. It took him all day to decide, but finally after his nap he decided on cupcakes and pizza...in that order! We decided to go to one of his favorite places and let him pick out some pizza....no, not a NY pizza joint as you may think...Whole Foods. They have a brick oven where they bake fresh pizza, so we took him up to the glass and let him pick out a piece. He chose lemon artichoke...hmm? The guy behind the counter was really great and cut off a small piece to let him try...and he did...and he spit it out. "How about cheese?" the guy joked...yes please!

It was time to head home for his birthday cupcake he had requested (again on his scooter all the way home from Whole Foods!). Aunt Steph had picked up a cupcake from a local bakery, so as soon as we got home we lit 2 candles, sang happy birthday one more time and let him dig in. He mostly nibbled the sprinkles off all around the top of the cake, then announced he was finished. Time for a birthday bath and to call it a day! Gabriel got story time with one of his new books, then it was time for bed for this birthday boy! Whew, three days later we finished celebrating. I am exhausted, but of course the sweet memories far outweigh the fatigue.

Happy, Happy Birthday to our sweet little boy!