Happy 2d Birthday, Mary!

We celebrated Mary's second birthday a day early because we are hosting a movie night for Chris' Catholic men's group tomorrow.

The kids wanted their cupcakes first, before presents.

I was startled that Mary knew to blow out her candle (and how to do it carefully) before I even got a chance to mention it. The last birthday party she attended was John's a year ago.

She ate all the frosting off the top delicately with her fork, then ate no cake.

Grampa R. got her a doll stroller!

And he got her a little owl! (The owl is her favorite animal.)

Mommy and Daddy gave her this Immaculate Heart of Mary pillow (a homemade Etsy purchase) . . .

. . . and this rocking horse, which has been discontinued by Radio Flyer but one was still available at our local old-fashioned toy store. We actually had a rocking horse that we'd bought at a consignment sale almost four years ago, but it was broken then and is more broken now. We decided to get a very sturdy horse that will serve all our future toddlers, we hope.

Mary couldn't get enough of pushing her baby doll around the house and singing a song she made up about liking her "wheels." Soon, her baby doll, the new Virgin Mary pillow, and the owl were all riding in the stroller.

Mary certainly has been acting "two" for the last few weeks. Today she threw tantrums at a level of which I don't think I've ever seen before in either of my children. She was totally out of control at least a half dozen times, raging, screaming herself hoarse, flinging herself, hitting. We even changed plans and I left her with Daddy rather than take her to a planned play date with John. (And had Daddy not been available to babysit, her behavior was so atrocious, I'd have had to cancel entirely!). Her behavior vacillates from absolutely charming and precious most of the time to these highlights of ornery and cantankerous. For example, when I cheerfully wished her a Happy Birthday, she replied loudly with a scowl, "No, I don't!" I'm grateful she is so delightful most of the time because her "two moments" are very TWO.

As a follow-up to the earlier post: Tonight as we were putting her and John to sleep, I kissed her and asked her if she was ready for me to go downstairs and Daddy could read stories to her and her brother. She answered firmly, "No! Mommy, stop going downstairs! The crickets are sleeping down there!"