TWO!

Well, this week I've been busy TURNING TWO YEARS OLD! Can you believe it? I never thought I'd ever get to be so big. I can even tell you how old I am and hold up two fingers. Of course, I can't exactly make the big V with those two fingers yet, so I cross them like I'm making a wish. And speaking of wishes, I got to make birthday wishes not once but twice this week! Does it get any better than that?

Since I'm two now, I'm trying out some new, big-boy things, like using a fork to eat the Arthur macaroni and cheese I picked out at the grocery store the last time I went with Mommy. It takes much longer than picking it up with my hands, but I'm increasingly uncomfortable having slimy fingers, so it's worth the effort.

I'm also becoming more clever, like yesterday, when I had been in bed for about 30 minutes but did not feel like taking a nap, so I called to Mommy, and when she came in my room to check on me, I stood up and sang, "Good morning to you..." like she sings to me every morning when she comes to get me out of bed. I think I tricked her into thinking I had already slept, because she let me get back up for a little while...before I went back to bed and took a three-hour nap. I guess I did need a nap.

I also have this great joke I like to tell that goes like this: "Goot? Goot goot goooooooooot." My parents don't get it, but I get so tickled telling it, and my parents humor me by laughing along. I don't know if there's any hope for them.

Another intellectual development is my understanding of present participles. I demonstrated my understanding by coining a brand new present participle this week, "woofing." I heard some dogs go by, but I couldn't see them, and I pointed in the general direction from which I heard the noise and told Mommy, "Dogs woofing!"

Okay - let's get to the pictures!

Last Sunday night, I went to Legacy Village to hear my friend Greg play with his band, The Townsmen. I sat in the grass with Mommy and Dyan for a while, but then I got antsy, so Dyan took me for a walk, and then after the show I got to check out Greg's guitar.
On Monday, my parents and I flew to Knoxville to go see Grandpa! When we got to Pigeon Forge, where we stayed for a couple of days, Uncle Sean and Aunt Jillian and Bailey were already there - I was sooooooo happy! When we woke up in the morning, we got to eat breakfast together.

Grandpa had to go to work Tuesday, but the rest of us went to the aquarium in Gatlinburg.

The best part of the aquarium was the Shark Lagoon. It was a slow moving sidewalk that carried us under all of the various tanks, like being under the ocean without getting wet.

Not that I don't like getting wet - I had a bunch of fun going swimming that afternoon!

That night, I had an early birthday party. I had a chocolate cake and a "2" candle. Bailey and I got to eat the candy letters off the top! After the cake, I got to open a bag of Bob the Builder stuff, which was cool.

On Wednesday, Grandpa took me for the most amazing REAL train ride EVER! We drove to Dillsboro, North Carolina, to ride the Great Smokey Mountain Railways, and it was AMAZING!


On Thursday, I went with my parents to Knoxville. I rode the trolley around town and saw the biggest basketball I have ever seen in front of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. That night, I went to Grandpa's house in Norris and got to hang out with Marti and Kelly, whom I ADORE!

Friday was my actual birthday, and I flew back home with my parents. My neighbor Ron came outside while we were still getting unloaded from our taxi to give me a box that had been delivered to me while I was gone. Inside the box were birthday presents from my cousin Johnny and his parents, including these awesome Cars stickers.

For my birthday lunch, we went to my favorite taco restaurant, Chipotle, where eating with your hands is not only acceptable but expected.

On Saturday, I helped Mommy and Nonna put on a yard sale and also do yard work. I contributed by climbing under the big evergreen trees and retrieving the pine cones, then putting the cones - and myself - in the wheelbarrow. Then we picked up Daddy and went to Nuevo Acapulco for a second birthday party. I got to open a Thomas roundhouse and a bunch of trains and I couldn't eat any more rice or beans or even my beloved tortilla chips because I was soooooooo excited.

After dinner, we went to Nonna's and I had my second birthday cake and candles. This one was an ice cream cake, which is probably my favorite kind of cake. It was good enough that I could tear myself away from the trains for a few minutes to eat some.

I have to get on with my day, as my agenda is full:

1. play with trains
2. eat breakfast
3. play with the house Nonna gave me
4. take Daddy to work
5. come home and play with cars
6. take a nap
7. play with trains
8. eat lunch
9. play with trains some more
10. go to GiGi's house!
11. play with her trains and planes and helicopters
12. go to Oma's house!
13. play with Oma's toys
    
14. come home with Daddy

I guess my mom is going to be gone on a trip for a few days, because she says when Daddy comes to get me tonight, then he and I will have three whole days together. I'm not sure how Mommy being gone is going to work out, but Daddy takes excellent care of me plus we're going to do some fun stuff, like making pizza and having a play date with Bailey and Uncle Sean. I'll tell you about it next time.