The Birthday

Oscar’s second birthday was a huge success, even with all of the tears that ended the day.  We got up fairly early and he literally squeaked when he saw his tricycle in the hallway.  He ran towards it, with his hands to his mouth and kept looking up to me while he would squeak out something that sounded like “me?”  We spent hours scooting the trike up and down the halls and through the bedrooms before Nanny Norma broke down and shuffled him to his room so he could open her presents.  She had decorated his bedroom with streamers and a big Happy Birthday sign and a bunch of really huge balloons.  It was precious.  I never would have thought to do all of that.  She also made him an adorable towel with his name on it and a funny little monkey face – it’s far too cute to use, so I’m keeping it displayed in his bathroom (I hope she doesn’t mind).

After taking a break from the tricycle, we opened the rest of his presents.  I got him a Leap Frog Tag reader, which is this pen-like thing that you touch to the pages of special books and it says the words or describes the picture on the page.  Oscar figured out, though, that if you press a certain button twice it will read an entire story to you.  He’s been pressing that button a lot since Saturday.  He just listens and laughs.  I’m hoping the continual repetition of language will inspire him to actually speak, but I guess I’ll be ok if he simply continues to enjoy the stories. 

I also got him a Thomas DVD that included a Thomas engine (BTW, this is the cheap way to get one of those trains – I was NOT paying $14 for a little engine – this was like $7 at TRU and you get the DVD).  He about lost his mind when he saw it.  He actually gnawed at the box to open it.  I knew he liked trains, but honestly didn’t have a clue that he even knew who Thomas was (we have another DVD, but we don’t watch it much).  I asked him to show me Thomas, and he pointed to the picture of Thomas on the cover of the DVD case.  He has NEVER pointed to anything in a book, so I was astonished.  He played for a bit and then went into the living room and gave Norma the DVD.  She, of course, said, “no television, we play or read.”  He had a fit and kept looking at me and it dawned on me that I had told him that for his birthday he could watch t.v. during the day (he usually watches one signing time DVD before his bath).  I think the little guy actually remembered the promise, so I made good on it, but he only watched for a few minutes before pulling out the books.

We attempted to make it to soccer practice.  I attempt this every week, but we haven’t made it yet.  First, I couldn’t find the field, second, it’s scheduled smack dab while he takes a nap (which is a rarity, but still) and third, there is a LOT to do on Saturday mornings.  I’ve been dying to become a soccer mom, though, so we’ll try it again next Saturday.  Oscar napped for 3 minutes and then we had our first virtual birthday party via Skype with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jason, Aunt Marti and his cousins.  He ate birthday cake for the first time and evidently really enjoyed it.

Had I stopped there, the day probably would have been entirely successful.  But, no, I pushed for more.  We were supposed to meet up with some friends at the Discovery Museum.  After slogging through horrendous traffic we arrived, with Oscar in tears, not wanting to sit in his stroller and not wanting to walk, while I was trying fruitlessly to find our friends (without the assistance of my cell phone, which Oscar apparently had taken from my purse and hid in Norma’s shower).  Let’s just say that this was the beginning of the end. 

By all accounts, though, I think it went really well.  So much better than last year.  First, Oscar understood this year that cake is to be eaten – not to be stuck in one’s ear.  He dove in head first, licking on the frosting so heartily that chocolate was still oozing out of his nose on Sunday.  That’s how you eat a cupcake.  Second, he seemed to understand that Saturday was all about him.  Not in a narcissistic way, but he was loving being the center of attention in a pronounced way.  I’m thinking that next year we’ll take things to the next level and have a proper party.  Well, a small party.  Or, at least a few friends over for cake.  We’ll see…

Pictures to come.

July 28, 2009 - Posted by Oscar and Etta's mom | Birthdays, Oscar