Isabel Turns Two!

Neither Richard nor I can believe it, but our baby has turned two. Where did the last year go?

Considering we are leaving for China in five days, we kept the celebration fairly low key this year, but Isabel still had a great time.

We began the celebration on Saturday with a breakfast date with Clifford the Big Red Dog. The Minnesota Children's Museum has a Clifford exhibit running throughout the summer, and about once a month, they are offering these quick meet and greets with Clifford himself. Let's just say Ibby is probably still a little too young to appreciate meeting a cartoon celebrity. She could tolerate him from a distance, but up close, she wanted nothing to do with him. She wouldn't shake his hand or say hello or even play peek-a-boo. In fact, in two face to face encounters, she started to cry. She was content to stand back and observe him with the other kids, and she was more than happy to say "bye bye" and wave when he retreated from the room.




After breakfast, we spent a couple of hours exploring the museum. Miss Isabel had a ball running from exhibit to exhibit. I think she most enjoyed the grocery store and the bus.



By this time, our continental breakfast had worn off, so we headed to Grandma Sandy's house for lunch and CAKE! Isabel loved the balloons and the cool Cheerio book from Grandma and Aunt Sue. Oh, and the cake wasn't too bad either.



After a quiet afternoon at home and pizza for dinner, Isabel opened her card from Erin and gift from Aunt Pat, Uncle Bob, and Jake. Oh, and had a little more cake. There was a small meltdown right before bathtime which could have been caused by the overstimulation of the day or perhaps a bout of low blood sugar after all that cake was finally digested.



Sunday, June 21, was her actual birthday. We began the day by taking Daddy out for breakfast since it also happened to be Father's Day. Then we came home, so Ibby could open the presents from Mom and Dad. Let me just say, Isabel thoroughly knows and understands the word "presents," and she enjoys them very much. So far it's a toss up between the xylophone and the Little People Busy Day House.



Oh, one more thing. She got a real kick out of the Happy Birthday song. We sang it to her yesterday at lunch, and she just beamed from ear to ear. Daddy and I sang it to her this morning and then had to do two encore performances since she would laugh and clap her hands and say, "Again!"

It was so much fun for us to see Isabel enjoy her birthday so much. We are so proud of our big girl. Happy Birthday, Isabel!