Louis's SECOND birthday

For Louis's second birthday, we decided to feature some of his favorite things: ice, large objects that are light and easy to move (e.g. cardboard boxes), and sticks! We had a variety of each, and invited his whole class over -- I believe we had about 6 2-year olds (many of whom JUST turned 2) and a few older siblings.

The first feature was a giant ice sculpture -- I had originally just ordered three giant blocks of ice from an ice sculptor, but I guess he couldn't help gussying them up when I told him what they were for. We added about 60 bags of ice around the sculpture and the kids had fun standing on the ice, pouring ice cubes into various containers, and... at the end... destroying it (though it did take 2 days to melt)!

The kids reactions were funny. Louis just stood and looked at the ice sculpture, more-or-less dumbstruck, for about 10 full minutes. Contemplating. Some of the kids climbed on it right away, some tried to hammer it right away.


Discussing how to attack the ice with Andy...

Louis and Wilder thinking about how to attack the ice (see the change in Louis and Wilder from his last birthday -- my posting October 8, 2010).


Then there were the regular backyard features. The sandbox, the tricycle, tree-climbing...




And there were some more unusual features... about 40 huge cardboard moving boxes and 30 cardboard tubes leftover from shelf lining paper(both thanks to our recent kitchen remodel)....Thanks to Nani for putting them all together! The kids really loved climbing in them and moving them around.



And, in what can only be interpreted as a very good omen for Louis's second year of life... Flora is back! We just discovered that she had moved back in during the party!


Louis loved the birthday attention... to a point. He was completely enchanted by the birthday card Esme and Miles had made for him and wanted to hold it and tote it around...

But actually got a little teary eyed and almost started crying when everyone sung happy birthday to him (check out Maureen's amazing homemade birthday cake -- recipe here)


After getting ampted up on cake and juice boxes, and most of the party guests had left (with LED glow sticks as a favor), it was time for getting out the seriously dangerous tools -- pick ax, sledge hammer, croquet mallet, and beating the heck out of the ice....


Maureen and Paul, and their friend Rachel (whom Rosemary adores)

On Monday we had grandparents day at St. Marks, where the kids had a special song performance at chapel (Louis cried the instant he saw my dad and me). Below is a picture of Louis with one of his teachers, Melissa, in his classroom.

Now, this is a very special video -- here is Louis, a man of very few words (e.g. three words, "apple," "mom," and "bye" -- with an occasional one thrown in for good measure like "Nana" or "hammer") singing GROUNDHOG -- one of our favorite songs by Grandpa George (click here to hear the original)