Happy Birthday, Benjamin!

Benjamin's birthday is tomorrow, but we celebrated it on Saturday because Paul left for a business trip this afternoon for the week (We love you Paul! We miss you already!). It was a really fun day, being all together. Benjamin was beaming with delight all day long.

Benjamin woke up his usual time around 6, so I let him out of his crib. I climbed back into bed and he joined us for a while. Then he left to get some water and started running for the kitchen, where we had set up his presents and decorations. As he walked in, we heard him stop in silence, then all he said was, "Whoa."

Of course, we had set up his classic Radio Flyer tricycle next to the table with a shiny bow on it. He has been obsessed with bikes for a few months now, and whenever we asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he would tell us he wanted a bike. So we believed him. He was thrilled! We got a good sturdy one, so it ended up being a little big for him. He still likes to try to push the pedals while you push him around on it. It should fit him for a few years though.

Another favorite toy was his wooden train set. He loved pushing it over the hill and under the tunnel, and rearranging all the pieces. I think putting the tracks together is great for problem solving skills and manual dexterity. He loves it!

Paul and I haven't been to a movie theater since we lived in Utah and could take advantage of our wonderful family. We have had a few babysitters since we've moved here, but only after Benjamin's already in bed, and by that time, we're usually exhausted and can only make it through dinner. Pathetic, I know. And completely my fault for never leaving him. I digress. It's been way too long.

Well, we decided Benjamin might be old enough to take to a matinee, so we went and saw Kung Fu Panda together. We prefaced this excursion by showing Benjamin a few trailer clips of the movie on the computer. We asked him if he wanted to see a big movie about a panda for his birthday, and he said "Yes!" After that, whenever we mentioned his birthday, he would say, "Big. Pan (panda). Pah-pah (popcorn)."

He was really excited up until the point when we tried to take him into the dark theater, and that's when he got scared and wanted to leave. We had to show him it was ok--lots of other kids were going in, and we'd just carry him inside to check it out. Once we were in there, he warmed up and started going at the big tub of popcorn we supplied him with. When the movie started and the panda came on, he started giggling incessantly, louder than anyone else in the theater. It was hilarious! He was laughing for the entire first half of the movie until we ran out of popcorn. He and I went to go refill the bucket, and when we came back, the long mounting fight scene had just begun. He had lost interest by then and was saying, "Nap. Home." We got him to stick it out, and had a wonderful time. Definitely the highlight of the day! He still talks about it, and how "Punny (funny)" it was.

Benjamin requested a monkey cake this year, so I copied his stuffed monkey. Luckily I had just the right tip for drawing a chunky monkey with chocolate frosting, so it was pretty easy. Then I carved graham crackers for the lighter parts.

Benjamin was really excited about blowing out the candles, and wanted more than just two. He finally gave in to our logic that we could only have two candles for a boy who was turning two years old. I told him next year we could have three.

He must have been too stuffed with popcorn, because he only wanted a few bites of cake before he was all done. It was mainly about the candles and the birthday song for him.

Happy Birthday, Benjamin! You'll probably never have a birthday quite like this again since you'll be sharing us with siblings in the coming years, but it was sure fun! It's been a fantastic two years, and we feel blessed to have you in our family.