He's TWO!

This is my favorite pic of my boy on his special day. He's TWO!
He LOVES sports. He's a cheerful, charming, focused, kindhearted, smart and quite articulate little guy. He's won our hearts - which was obvious as we all celebrated E! :)

The story behind this pic: As his bday approached, the word "birthday" quickly became associated with "basketball hoop." If anyone said "birthday," he'd instantaneously and enthusiastically reply "basketball hoop!" He's obsessed. If we drive down the street, he's pointing out every house with a basketball hoop. :) So after breakfast, there was a knock at the door ... GPa and GMa! And they had with them two pieces: a stand and a backboard with a hoop. This pic was taken when the two pieces became one dreamy reality. He just bent those knees and stared in awe. There was a basketball hoop in the living room! Ah!

Everyone wanted a chance to play with him, and teach him the technique of throwing the ball up. Look at Big Sis' enthusiasm in the background!

The gift was a slam dunk success!!!

Next up: Church. Handsome fellas.

Here's a close up of his bruise and black eye. A few nights earlier, we were up too late. Mom wanted to water the garden and pick a few weeds - the girls were extra helpful and happy because they were getting to stay up later and later. And then the accident happened. E! tripped on a hose and his cheek fell into the corner of the picnic table's bench. The next day, the bruise sprawled towards his eye. It's his first shiner. In fact, it's the first time any of my children have had one. Poor buddy.  

 After church, the party resumed. GPa and GMa came back over; we had dinner and opened presents.

The girls got him this Home Depot tool set. Awesome.
I don't have many pics of him smiling during the day. Not that he wasn't happy - he was in heaven! It's just that he was so overwhelmed and focused. He knew it would be his birthday, but he didn't really know all that it meant ...and it was so much more than he could have hoped for.

Thank you, to the Stumphs who gave him Coldstone gift certificates! Yum!

Thank you to GG and Joe Joe for the sports shirts, the baseball hat and sun protection hat!!

Here he is with a pile of loot.

The tradition continues: birthday cookie! Yum.

I call him my baby ... and he always will be my baby. At the end of a HUGE day for him, he just wanted to be sung to in his favorite position. We stayed like this a long time, after many failed attempts at getting him to sleep. I had Alex sneak in and take a pic - even though the flash startled him. I just always want to remember how he curls up his knees, holds on with one arm while the other falls lifelessly into the cracks, rests his head right there and sometimes even plays with my hair. He's just such a sweet thing.