Turning two is a big deal.
So we made a big deal of it by throwing a huge birthday party for Audrey Anne. It was so much fun and the house was full of people whom we loved. We had decided to invite our friends verses her friends and I think it worked out better. Ivan and I made good food and of course (being a Martens’) Ivan wouldn’t let me order a lovely decorated Jewel cake like I wanted. No, he had to go and make individual chocolate molten lava cakes covered in strawberries and whip cream. Love it!

At Christmas, Audrey didn’t quite get the hang of opening gifts. She kept getting “stuck” and I ended up opening all her gifts and presenting her with the loot. Not this party. She was a smooth, groovin’ machine when it came from moving from one present to next and genuinely enjoying every gift she opened. Sometimes you see in older children and even in adults eyes a hunger for stuff, a greed that flashes through them. I didn’t see that in Audrey’s eyes (yet) and you could tell she was just delighted with all the people there and the fun and wonderful presents she opened. She even loved a box of clothes from the second hand shop Michelene gave her—she had to put on the pair of red pants instantly.

It was a blessing to me to celebrate her with other people. I think on a regular basis I am cheering and applauding the uniqueness of Audrey and how much joy she brings me. But to do it with a large group of people just enunciated it and made it that much more fun.

So thank you to all of you who came and celebrated my daughter!

The party dress. This was my favorite part of the day. Getting her dolled up and doing her hair.

A constant fascination with her tongue.

Having fun with all her friends around the coffee table.

Blowing out the two candles on the strawberry cupcake. She was a little overwhelmed with the 30 people singing to her so Abuelita and I helped with the blowing out part.

And for the presents..

Audrey received a cuddly fleece blanket from Ann that had three Disney princess’ on the front. When I opened it up for all to see, Audrey threw herself on to it with all abandon. It was quite cute!

Uncle Andrew came to the party too and brought an extravagant gift for Audrey—a doll and a little pram. She hasn’t stopped pushing it around yet.

Andrew and Audrey share the same birthday which feels quite special to me.

And here is my friend Bona, a fellow nurse I work with at the cancer clinic, playing with the pram.

So my daughter weighed in at 28lbs 6oz and 35 1/2 inches long! Damn, girl! You are have some long legs on ya!
I feel like all her pants are a little too short and they all say 2T which should be just perfect since she turned two last Sunday, but no. She is almost 36 inches long (it just occurred to me; that is almost 3 feet tall) and her pants are high waters.

And the only reason I mention this is I stumbled across this blog I check out occasionally and I thought it was such a splendid idea for other daddy long leg girls out there.

This year I have the biggest “crop” of orchids yet! Every year they start to shoot out buds of loveliness right before Audrey’s birthday. Which I think is a grand tradition. And this year I have 6 blooming or about to bloom. Splashes of color in the month of snow, ice and grey skies.

Doesn’t it look like the orchid is waking from it’s slumber, like a newborn infant, slowing opening her eyes and yawning?

Queen Audrey has declared that all chapsticks shall be poked till destroyed with any tiny finger that is available.
[sigh]