Two.

No person, before having kids, can understand the true importance behind it. Before kids, birthdays are an adult celebration, with decisions on which bar or pub to attend, or what the "drink du jour" will be. Post-having-kids, you still celebrate, at home, and the "drink du jour" is coffee so you can stay up later than 9pm to hang out with the stragglers who haven't left yet.

This year is no exception.

Baby girl is two.

"Mommy! WOOOAAAHHH!!"

Two. This birthday has had me a little sentimental. She's two years old. The celebration this year is not so much in the fact that she was born, but that she has - and we have - survived the last two years. It means that I didn't jump out the window when she was up every hour for months as a baby. It means that when she ran away from me at the zoo, the worst-imaginable-thing-ever didn't happen and I just turned the corner and there she was. It means that even though we stopped at McDonald's instead of taking her home to cook an organic, healthy meal, she's quite all right. It means that even though I have taken her to the hospital for small, insignificant things, that's just fine. It means that even though I try to keep her happy with Goldfish Crackers instead of songs, games, and visual interest, she's still very smart and not damaged. It means that even though I'd done pretty much everything "wrong", according to "professionals" and "other moms", that kid is happy, healthy, and wonderful.

I think those are things to celebrate.

Thank the good Lord.

Tomorrow is her party. I will blog about it then. But today... today was a day just for her and me (and Auntie Aleesha and Hunter!! ... who I just realized I got NO photos of!). We woke up early, went to Costco, then to The Children's Place (and I bought some super awesome cute boots for her big fat feet!), then off to the zoo for a day of running around like a maniac. Baby girl had a blast, and I am so grateful that I could do this with her today.

Aryn,

You are more loved than any other. You have made our lives better just for being born. Thank you for being you: for making us laugh, cry, and learn more about ourselves than we even knew was possible. You are the reason we get up every morning and the reason we cannot wait for every next day. You are our love, our life, our everything. Happy birthday, sweet baby girl. Love, Mommy & Daddy (and puppy).

Now for sweet, extremely exhausted dreams for my little girl. Poor thing is so over tired. Tomorrow is a big day.