Dear Gray: TWO!

Yes, pal, you are TWO! And I am one whole week late with this post. Although I am nearly two weeks late with your brother's post, so don't feel too bad.

I think the best way to chronicle what it means for you to be two is to talk about what your birthday was like.

5:45 AM- You wake up wailing, "Dada, where are you?" You have periods where you sleep from 7:30 PM to 7 AM and then you'll go through a couple weeks of waking up between 5:30-6:30 AM. It SUCKS. We happen to be in the middle of one of these periods right now.

6:00 AM- Dada rescues you from your bed and brings you into our bed, where Eli has already landed about an hour earlier. The Luxners are officially up. I take some pictures of you since last year I started a tradition of taking your picture first thing in the morning on your birthday. It's dark, and I can't really see you in the viewfinder so I'm taking these pictures blind. They turn out pretty funny. You are making faces and Eli is looking rather stunned by the flash. We decide to take advantage of the early hour and go out to breakfast at Breakfast on Broadway.

7:00 AM- While waiting for your breakfast you are looking at your "Colors" book. You correctly count "1, 2, 3, 4! Umbrellas!" and we are amazed. You are able to count objects with increasing accuracy and every time you do it I feel like you just explained calculus to me. You are brilliant. You get "lion pancakes" for breakfast and are most interested in dipping the watermelon in the butter. The waitress comps your milk as your birthday present. It feels so weird to be walking through the parking lot holding hands with my big boy.

8:00 AM- We stop at the store on the way home and buy "ah-bloons" for your birthday. You choose a bulldozer balloon as your special birthday balloon.

9:00 AM- We are home, and my objective today is to cook a bunch of appetizers for your party later. I made your "rocket cake" last night and am hiding it from you until your party. It turned out SO AWESOME. We open Auntie Rae's present and you are instantly in love with Murdoch. Looking in the box you tell me, "Der's a Lightening McQueen in der!"

10:00 AM- You go to the school playground with your Dada and Papa. You play on the swings and at one point you let go of the chain to wipe your nose and learn the hard way that you need to hang on when you are on the swings. You logroll down a little hill and your dad is amazed that you know how.

12:00 PM- Home from the playbground, we hook up the webcam to talk to your Auntie Laurie. She watches while you open your gift from her (more choo choos!) Lunch today is corndogs, a new concept for you. "What's dis?" you ask. We explain corn dogs and you are amazed. "Der's a hot dog in der!" you tell us. "Der's a stick!" you inform me. You dip it in ketchup over and over, and lick it off without taking a bite. When you are done you say, "may-I-ee-cuuuse?" which translates to "May I please be excused?" I tell you it's time for a nappy and you say, "No nappy, Mama." You play at the table for a couple more minutes while I'm cleaning up and behind my back you again inform me, "No nappy, Mama." This is clearly bothering you and you are having too good a time to take a nap.

1:00 PM- I read you a new book, "Llama llama Misses Mama," a present from me. It makes me cry because it says things about how mama is always here and never far from her baby.

4:00 PM- Your party is in an hour and we are getting ready. I bring you out to the living room, which we have decorated with streamers and balloons, thinking you'll be amazed. Of course, you don't seem to notice or care. We have set up the tracks from Auntie Laurie on the living room floor and you are constantly telling one of us to "Come, Mama. Come, Gram. Come!" You want an audience while you play with your new toys. I show you your rocket cake and you are properly impressed.

5:30 PM- Your guests arrive (Laura/Nate/Henry, Terri/Rhys, Paul/Jill, Gram/Papa). You play choo choos with the other little boys. We sing "Happy Birthday" and when everyone blows their horns at you, you start to cry. We open presents (playdoh, puzzles, bubbles, Buzz Lightyear) and you are excited about all of your gifts. You say "thank you" for all of your gifts and I'm so proud that you do so very nicely and with minimal prompting. "Kaypoo Playdoh Henry!" you say.

7:30 PM- It's time for bed. Again, you are not willing to let this fabulous day end and you argue a little bit about going to bed. But after a book (Llama Llama, again) and a cuddle, you are ready. I love you, my big two-year-old boy!