Well, our Peter pumpkin eater celebrated his 2nd birthday yesterday, and his cousin John spent the night.
Isaac and Elisabeth helped a LOT in making the cake and ice cream. We made Halloween Pumpkin Ice Cream (it was more of a frozen pumpkin and marshmallow mousse) and a pumpkin cake with spelt flour, diced cranberries and pecans. I iced it with an orange coconut frosting. We had cake and ice cream with Red Zinger punch.
When John got here yesterday, he was wearing his batman cape and hood. Abinadi was in the bath and John went in to see him and got drenched. So I made him take off his clothes so I could put them in the dryer. He wasn't happy, but fortunately he and Peter can wear most of the same clothes, so he cheered up when I pulled out the Spiderman shirt.
Watching them eat cake was very cute, it was like a contest to see who could fit the biggest piece into their mouth. Peter attempted the biggest piece but John won by ingesting the most.
My parents brought John over and then my sister Miranda came by after she got off work. After we had cake, Peter opened his presents from Grandma and Grandaddy. He pulled the curling ribbons off one strand at a time, and figured out how to rip the paper with a little help. He got a sweater and a pounding ball box. John did very well for a 2 year old at someone else's party. We got our our old pounding ball box (it has two balls left, one original and one replacement) and had a little hammering party.
Photos:
Grandma and Grandaddy had to go, and Miranda asked if we could watch John the next day, so he ended up spending the night. He does so well over here, he hardly ever cries or is sad or even withdrawn. He just plays and plays and goes to bed happy.
The dog woke me up barking at 4:30 am and I never went back to bed. The leftover birthday cake was calling me... at 6:45 am (I have been organizing some old snapfish albums and reading some cbirth mail) I hear little footsteps. Peter and John, holding hands, are all smiles toddling out of the bedroom. John was out of diapers in his bag last night, so I put both of them in cloth overnight. So I took both their diapers off (both already peed in unfortunately) and now they are running around the house bare bottom. Their speech alternates between unintelligible bouts of screaming/babble, and too cute exchanges of two year old lingo.
John: (standing on the coffee table and stomping his feet rhythmically) Peter, do you want your sword? (Extends foam sword to Peter)
Peter: (climbing onto the coffee table) T-you John!
John: (jumping off coffee table onto couch) you're welcome.
Last night:
John is jumping around on the couch. We have put in Little Bear to get us through the last few minutes before bedtime. The other kids are sitting on the couch trying to watch.
Alison: John, why don't you come sit next to me?
John: (climbing across the back of the couch and sitting down on the arm next to Peter)
I'd rather sit by Peter!