Winter 2006

Happy Birthday to Me..., January

Sunday, January 29th, was my second birthday. At 11:00, people started arriving. I ran to the door each time to see who it was. My guests were Grandma, Grandpa and Bonnie, JoJo and his parents, Liam Frank and his parents, and Merel Adriaanse and her mother. One important person was not there: Cameron was sick, so he stayed at his dad's house.

The theme of the party was ladybugs, and Mommy made the house colorful with crêpe paper ribbons, balloons, and decorated plates and napkins. Two tall bouquets of weighted balloons stood in the family room, and my friends and I jerked on the strings to make them dance in the air and bonk us on our heads. They were great fun [right]. 

Because Liam couldn't stay till the end, we opened gifts first so that I could thank him in person. Grandma helped me open them [left]. 

Liam gave me a Play-Doh set in a carrying case. Merel gave me two books, Miffy in the Snow and Miffy and Friends Places to Go, plus a string of Jip and Janneke flags that Papa hung over the door. JoJo gave me the LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD, glow-in-the-dark stars to attach to my ceiling, and a tiara for my head. Grandpa and Bonnie gave me a green and pink summer dress, and Grandma gave me a beautiful bed for my dolls. 

The cake was chocolate with cherry filling. Papa cut me a piece so huge that Mommy protested, but he gave it to me anyway. I liked the cake, and I had a good time attempting to use my fork to eat it (eventually I gave up and just used my fingers), but I liked the vanilla ice cream even better. 

Now whenever I see cake, I know it must be "birthday cake," and, of course, it must be for me. 

Sometimes it's really frustrating to be two. I can't reach the tops of table or counters, I can't open doors, I can't get into interesting containers, I can't serve myself snacks. And people are always telling me, "No." Or just when I'm having fun doing one thing, they tell me that I have to do something else. There are so many things I can't do and can't have!

Another thing I've learned is that you have to be cautious with food; it might not taste good. If I don't like how something looks, I pick it up from my plate and insist that someone take it away. I don't eat vegetables, and I don't eat meat, except an occasional piece of chicken. I like toast with jam, crackers with peanut butter, cereal with milk, pancakes with syrup, spaghetti with lots of Parmesan cheese, chicken nuggets with ketchup, and french fries. I like bananas, grapes, yogurt, and sometimes applesauce. I like phad thai noodles. And I like all forms of birthday cake, ice cream, cookies, and chocolate ("chocolala")—when I'm allowed to eat them. 

It's good to test limits once in a while. How else am I supposed to understand how the world works? Of course, sometimes I get a time-out, and then I know that I stepped over the line. I don't like time-outs.

But mostly, being two is very good. I love to laugh. I like things that are funny, and I like to be silly. I make silly noises and silly faces and say silly things. Cameron always makes me laugh; he's my best silly teacher.

I love music, singing, and dancing. My favorite TV show is Little Einsteins, and I've learned about different instruments and to sing along with Mozart, Beethoven, Grieg, and Bizet. I go to Kindermusik with Papa every Wednesday morning and dance class with Mommy every Friday, and I can sing some Dutch and English children's songs all by myself. Some of my favorites are "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," the "A-B-C Song," "Poesje Miauw," and "Hoedje van Papier."

I love books. I like to snuggle in Mommy's lap while she reads them to me. I have lots of favorites, and I ask for them by name—over and over again.

Most of all, I love big hugs and lots of kisses. Mommy and Papa call me their "Love Bug." I say, "Mommy, I love you" and "I love you, Papa." And they always respond that they love me, too.