The Parties

By now you know that we Pattersons like a party. This includes our now two year old daughter, who seems to be completely thrilled by the reality of a house packed to the gills with all her favorite people. She's a chip off the old block. Add to the mix- candy, juice boxes, birthday cake, 'locklate (chocolate) milk, a little dancing and 60 people singing her name, and you have the recipe for one happy little lady.

This is exactly what Marin got at her birthday party last Saturday. We kept telling her who was coming and her little mouth would drop open and she would visibly gasp with excitement as we told her each person. It was if she was thinking, "All in one place?! At the same time?!!!" She had a ball. I almost never saw her at the party, because she was just running from person to person playing, saying hello and excitedly proclaiming, "I two!" holding up her pointer fingers from each hand, next to each other.

We packed the house with pink 2's hanging everywhere as well as balloons and lots of food and drinks. The basement playroom was a kids haven of toys and video games and dance party music. Only the bravest and the strongest parents ventured down there. I myself, only spent a total of about 15 minutes there the entire party. It was controlled chaos, and I don't think the kids would have wanted it any other way. The rest of the adults filled the main floor rooms, and I enjoyed traveling from room to room trying to catch a conversation with everyone.

When it was time to cute the cake, we all gathered in the dining room and Marin glowed as everyone sang to her. Then she blew out her two little candles and dug right into her cake in the traditional Marin fashion- frosting first. Quickly after she finished, she was off to continue playing.

Everyone brought presents, and Marin was thrilled to open these after the party settled down well into the evening, already way past her bedtime. It's amazing how quickly she has learned to open presents. She thanked each person that was there as she opened them, asked to immediately play with every toy, and wanted to try on every outfit right then and there. Grandma and Grandpa gave her her first bike, and she yelled "bike! bike!" as she unwrapped it. I think that may have taken the prize. She finally fell asleep around 10:30, after deep dish pizza delivery for the dozen or so family members who remained. Marin slept soundly, and I'm sure dreamt of a day this spring when she will be riding her bike outside with all of her friends; hopefully catching Jason or me in a weak moment, to provide her with more sugar.



The next afternoon my parents hosted a birthday party for Marin at their house for my extended family, since we kept the birthday party list to immediate family and friends. It was a much smaller group than the day before, but Marin was just as thrilled to see Gigi, Great Grandpa and Great Uncle John. Major bonus: Grandma and Grandpa had a Mickey Mouse cake for Marin, an Elmo balloon, a new plate and silverware like the 'dults, and an Elmo milk cup! Her two year old dream come true. After a delicious sit down dinner and Mickey cake, Marin opened more presents. When she opened Gigi and Great Grandpa's card, she pulled out a check inside and proclaimed, "Oooo! Money!!" I promise I didn't teach her this. That night we stayed up late again watching the Superbowl and snacking on yummy snacks at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Tuesday the 8th was her actual birthday. I started recounting "the day you were born" stories to her the night before as I tucked her in. I told her it was her birthday the next day, and by now, this prompted a spontaneous song and dance Marin rendition of "Happy Birthday to Me!" On Tuesday morning, Marin helped me make homemade "cancakes" (pancakes) after she woke up, instructing, "I cook, Mommy. I cook helping Mommy" as she stirred. We set the table for three and all ate breakfast together. Marin's pancake was shaped like Mickey Mouse, and the strawberries on the side had a candle to blow out. Jason and I sang Happy Birthday and she happily blew out her candle and dug into her pancakes with gusto. Shortly after breakfast, we left for school, pajama day. Marin wore new pj's with cupcake buttons since she was the birthday girl. I made sugar cookies with M's on them in pink frosting, and packaged them in baggies tied with a pink bow so she could pass them out to each of the classmates and teachers. Her teachers told me that when they sang Happy Birthday to her, she danced from side to side and beamed a great big smile. No surprise there. Marin fielded calls from friends and relatives all day to wish her a Happy Birthday. She told each of them, "Tank you. Bye. I'll too." (Thank you. Bye. I love you.) Later that evening, Grandma and Grandpa came over for dinner and Daddy made homemade pizza and breadsticks. We had 'locklate and pink (strawberry) ice cream for dessert and again sang happy birthday and blew out two last candles. Marin had a few more cards and presents, the highlight again being from Grandma and Grandpa: Paige, an adorable dolly with red hair. Marin slept with her that night saying "night night Paige."

At times like this I can't help but feel incredibly blessed, not only for Marin but for our family and friends. They truly are the backbone of our lives. I honestly believe that we have the very best family and friends on the planet. Life would not be anywhere near the party, if it weren't for them to celebrate with. To Marin, to family, to friends, to turning two, to life!

She's Two! (Or, as Marin says, "I Two!")

Well, it's official. A two year old is living among us.

There were less tears from Mommy this year than last. Maybe in part because I'm not as nostalgic for the whole being-pregnant-with-you-was-amazing thing this year since her brother or sister was kicking and wiggling through the whole week. Or, maybe because she's getting older and I'm getting a little more used to her growing up. I know what you're thinking: Johanna? Getting used to change? Nah! In any case, I have two years ago today'd my way through pretty much the last 48 hours, including recounting how my contractions began on a Saturday night while Jason and I were watching (cringe) Pineapple Express. As Jason began to pack his bag I told him that they couldn't be the "real" contractions, because Pineapple Express was NOT about to become part of my child's life story. And yet here we are two years later. After a restless nights sleep and a call to the doctor at 6am to be sure I was timing everything correctly, they assured me that I should come in and have the baby. So, like any sane woman in labor, I took a shower, shaved, blow dried my hair, washed the dog, called a friend to say that I wouldn't be at her baby shower that day... and oh yeah, ran out the door to go have a baby. All of our favorite people gathered in the next few hours. It was the most wonderful day of my life. And about 24 hours later, our lives were forever changed. I will never, ever forget the moment I laid eyes on our beautiful Marin Jane.

Today Marin is a fun, lovable, cheerful, kind, happy, vibrant, beautiful, smart two year old who is growing and learning at what seems like lightning speed. She is the apple of our eyes and hearts.

True to form, the birthday celebrations were big and plentiful. They began, of course, with the birthday week, last Tuesday. That was a big day because as you know, it was her first day of school. The next day we were hit with what will undoubtedly be referred to as the Blizzard of 2011, where we got 2 feet of snow! We spent the week digging ourselves out, and preparing for the birthday party, which for me included baking and frosting 60 or so cookies, and for Marin meant staying out of the treat bags.

We ended her birthday week with three birthday celebrations (details in a post of their own, next), playing in the snow, sleeping in her big girl bed, a day of sledding for the first time, her first Happy Meal (I know, terrible, but she got the milk and apples and doesn't yet know that the carmel dipping sauce exists), a long bubble bath, and pajama day at school.

The past two years have flown by. It has been such a joy to watch Marin grow and discover and learn. I love the way she thinks. I love to watch her process. This will be another big year ahead for her, as she becomes a big sister. I can't wait to see how she reacts to the new baby, who, by the time Marin turns three will be crawling around her next party. Unreal.

In the words of Ferris Bueller: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."