I’ve heard both. And we’re in the middle of both for shizure. As often as Ruthie’s mood swings will shift throughout an afternoon, so will mine in my anger to exasperation to pride to joy then back again.

But here we are. She’s officially two.

We kept it low key (again) this year. Considering how much she’s changed from age 1 to age 2, I’m sure we’ll throw an actual party next year. But this girl would be happy just to have me and Ryan right now, so we obliged.

The night before her birthday we gave her our present. It was a craigslist-bought play kitchen. Oh, did I mention I’m cheap too?

In fact, her previous present was going to be a cardboard kitchen from all of our moving boxes. Ryan is a great artist, so I thought it’d be neat to create. But I also kept one eye out on craigslist just on the off chance that something would pop up. And it did. An un-opened little kitchen.

I almost didn’t buy it though.

There was some, let me see, slight miscommunication which I took for WEIRDO ALERT. In actuality, it was the owner’s 9 year old daughter communicating with me b/c they were spanish-speaking. Yes, mom, Ryan came with me and we met at Walmart. Settle.

Anyway, we were hoping she’d like it.

She was silent.
We took that as a success, because she went right to work.
I, of course, squealed for her. When was the last time I squealed over pots and pans? Uh, never. Wait. I take that back… maybe when I wheeled and dealed with the Sams Club lady over a set of pans. It was the display set and they weren’t going to reorder it, so I asked for even more money taken off.

That reminds of when my sister and I watched an Oprah show on how you can haggle for everything. It showed a guy at Target asking for more discounts on something, and them giving it to him. So we jumped in the car, drove to the mall and haggled the poor pimply-faced teenager behind the register to death over a pair of already clearanced out earrings.

We ended up putting them back. Whatever.

Haggling.

This also reminds me of on a trip in Mexico with some girlfriends, they asked me to haggle in spanish for more money off some drinks at the duty free port. You know, where they also all speak english? I think we ended up paying more than the asking price.

Whatever.

Again.

Those clothes are part of a washing machine part on the side. That’s her favorite part. Good for her, I say.

The next day on her actual birthday, I made her favorite breakfast: yogurt, yogurt, yogurt.

She was ecstatic as you can tell.
Even more so while eating it.
Happy Birthday Ruthie, here’s a broomstick with a horsehead to run around on.
It’s like Wicked meets Godfather.

We played outside for a little bit and then got ready for her birthday dinner: breakfast burritos, pancake donuts, OJ for the kid, and mimosas for the adults!
We quickly sang happy birthday before the house burnt down.
Her highchair decorations crack me up. They reminded me and Ryan of something from our childhood. No cutesy tootsy perfectly arranged decor here (I’m amazed that moms have the energy to pull that off!). No, it’s called “Let’s see, here’s a couple balloons, a couple wrinkly ribbons, and some crumpled tissue paper to hide the masking tape. It’s PERFECT.”

I really wanted to make a banner out of the old printer paper to polish it off, you remember with one letter on each paper? From this printer?
But I couldn’t drive to my parent’s house and back in time.

Back to the singing. She definitely knew what birthdays meant this year. It was cute.

Nathan and Allison gave Ruthie a gift they knew she would like, since she uses her aunt’s whenever they’re together.
What any toddler wants: A waterbottle!
But check this chick out. She’s obsessed. About water. Because of the bottle. There IS a God!!
The rest of the night was low-key, talking in the living room while Ruthie watched cartoons.
Happy Birthday Ruthie!

You crack me up and you’re only two. Yay!