oh Zanna, we love you!

Happy Belated, Josephine!

A little over a month ago (April 2nd), Josephine turned TWO. Simultaneously believable and unbelievable. We had a great day celebrating; our families came into town and she had a couple playmates help her break in the new toys. Sean cooked up some delicious crepes and fillings, while I totally bailed on the cake-baking, opting instead for an Italian cream bundt cake from MadCakes. 'Twas all the yummier because it required no effort!

Josephine had a blast opening up her presents. It was the opposite of last year, where she just went from one package to the next, more interested in tearing off paper than in what the paper was wrapped around. This year she wanted to explore each gift to its fullest before moving on. She truly loved them all!

My parents brought down a playhouse (I'm so proud that they found it on craigslist!), for which I'd prepped a platform and some chalkboards. At the time I was mostly just happy to have cleared out a lot of wood scraps from our garage doing my part, but that's only because I had NO idea what a hit the playhouse would be. Josephine loves it; it has facilitated quite a lot of independent play-- something way more awesome than extra space in the garage!

Around noon, Zanna and Julien came over (Josephine's main playdate buddies). Josephine was delighted to welcome Zanna into her new abode, even giving her keys to the front door...
The wagon from Sean's dad was a big hit, too.
Stacey and Julien (who naturally received way more kisses from Josephine than he wanted):
Then there was the cake and singing... She did manage to blow out the candle!
Like I said, the wagon was a hit.
Josephine getting in on the action... Brad being a tremendously good sport...
A lovely day, on whole. Thanks to everyone for coming over and celebrating our girl! She still requests, "Eeen turn two, see ____??" naming everyone she can think of (other than Sean and me, of course).

Pa's going to love this one!

An outfit of her choosing:

(And, yes. She turned two. I'm getting there.)

a ponytail and the omnipresent black purse

... a good name for a band?

So we altered the 'tail to mimic a different mammal. Stay tuned for the upcoming pandatail. (Was that funny? No, it probably wasn't. I did stick with the "p" alliteration, so I get points, right? No? Shoot. Maybe some points for just trying? Yes? Awesome, thanks.)

My mom passed along my sister's black purse, which we now use to house aaaalllll sorts of important items during our backyard ventures. Despite its cumbersome nature, she seems determined to keep it with her. I wish I'd caught a good picture of her attempting to relocate the beach ball with the purse dutifully in the crook of her arm. That was a funny moment. But I guess you'll just have to believe me, despite the fact that it doesn't sound as funny as I apparently believe it was.
The moon on a pretty evening:
Josephine acting like she wasn't just readjusting Sean's sprinkler when he wasn't looking. Having caught her red-handed though, I warned him he'd better check the setting before turning it back on... (and yes, it is kind of sad that we're having to water in April. A little rain would be lovely.)

Lastly, just one of those calm, normal moments.

Well, "normal" until you start to question why that particular location was deliberately chosen as ideal for studying a pop-up book.

But I recommend limiting the amount you question a toddler's logic.

And I promise I'm aware that my kid turned two and that I'm kind of missing a post that acknowledges such an event. Don't worry. I'll get there.

take two.

My mom sent me some itty bitty hair ties, which successfully tempted me into another round of pigtails.

In case the pigtails weren't podunk enough, Josephine performed an extended piece of self-taught comb playing. See below. And in the last photo she's doing her finger-snapping dance move to show me exactly how musical her comb playing sounded.

I see a photo session with overalls and a washboard in her future.