Two! The Party.

We've been trying to talk to Edith about her upcoming birthday for a few weeks now and Edith has been unwilling to discuss it. The mere mention of turning two would make her agitated and uneasy. "No!" was her consistent reaction. I could tell she was uncertain about how the whole turning-two-thing was going to go.

Because of Edith's seeming lack of excitement over turning two (unwillingness to turn two, even!), I wasn't sure how today was going to go. When I went into her room to get her up this morning I enthusiastically wished her a Happy Birthday and got a quickly concealed smile in response. Last night Rophone and I spent some time putting up decorations so I took Edith in to see them immediately. Total deadpan expression with a possible slight twinkle in her eyes. A tough customer.

The day was pretty lame, I have to admit. Nothing about it really stood out from any other. But, when my mom showed up at the house Edith's excitement started to ramp up a bit. She loves her grandma. Dinner was nice, nothing special, but when I mentioned at the end of the meal that it was time to open presents Edith started screaming, absolutely overjoyed that the 'real' birthday stuff was getting started. "I get to open presents! Those presents are for me! It's my birthday!" It was the cutest thing ever to see the switch get turned on.

She opened her gifts with just the right combination of absolute pleasure and innocent greed. And I love how she's sitting almost in the splits as she tears into her gifts (that's totally how I sit when I do it, too). So fun to watch.

She truly loved each gift and was trying to take time to enjoy them all as she opened them. She immediately cracked open the books and wanted to try on the clothes after giving a girly squeal when she saw them (Imagine, a 2 year old excited to receive clothes. Weird.). But, Big kept the gifts coming pretty quickly. 

Somebody is excited to get a purse. A real purse!

After she opened her final gift she gave her Grandma a quick hug of thanks (with a piece of wrapping paper stuck to her butt)...

...and then started to strip so she could put on her cute new clothes. She was excited, I tell you!

Way to appreciate your new gifts, Edith.

Then when I announced that it was time for cake and ice cream the screaming started again, "It's time for cake! My cake! I get to blow out the candles! On my cake! It's my turn!" I think she just couldn't believe that she was really getting a chance to do what every one else had been doing. I think that's why she was so reserved in the beginning-- she didn't want to get her hopes up. And, yes, I'm so mad I didn't take the time to make sure my camera focused on her face and not the candles, but I do love the look in her blurry eyes.

Oh, and it's a good thing I didn't take more time to focus because Edith is a candle blowing pro. A prodigy, I tell you. One quick puff and they were out. I hardly managed to get a shot. Amazing (especially compared to all of her siblings)!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Edith! We love you!