Party Animal

I'm going to be better about posting.
I'm going to be better about posting.
I'm going to be better about posting.

There. That's three times I promised.



I made two cakes for Cooper this year. One was the Blues Clues cake for the big birthday bash and the other was this Animal cake for his actual birthday on June 10th.

As I was working on the cakes, I thought about my Aunt Tricia and how many cakes she's made for the family over the years. So much effort and love goes into each cake. I don't know how she does it.



Coop likes cake. We even got him to blow out the candle and sort of sing something that may have sounded a bit like "Happy Birthday."

He wanted to eat the whole cake and when we tried to just give him a slice, he was angry. Like, real angry. Grrrrrrrrrr. Like, punk riot stomping screaming angry.

It being his birthday and all, we caved and gave him the whole cake. A calm fell over the room.



I hear Bill Murray's Caddyshack voice when I see this picture. "Yeah...uh...cake's pretty sweet. I like cake. Like the way it tastes. I'm studying up on cakes. Gonna, uh, find out which cake is my ideal cake, you know."



Why use a fork when a fistful of cake is so much more festive!

Coop requested pizza for his birthday. He learned to say it, so we order it.



He's asked for pizza every day since then.

Laguna Beach Bash

I believe this picture sums it all up:



That's what beaming with joy looks like.

Cooper's birthday party was a spectacular event in Laguna Beach featuring all of Coop's favorite things.



Swimming, bubbles, music, balloons, food, handy dandy notebooks, grab bags, goofy adults AND A PINATA!



Actually, Cooper had no interest in the pinata. He ignored it and then when we broke it open to show him the "awesome pinata fun", he just sort of had this look like, "why are mini-candies and cheap plastic toys falling on me...what is this odd game, lady?"

The day also included another fave thing...flirting with cute gals.



I made a Blue's Clue's cake. FYI--Funfetti is officially my new cake of choice in case you're keeping track.



Thanks Poyant Family for the Celtics shirt. Now that we've won the championship, it's his lucky shirt! And thanks Tagues for the snazzy sweatshirts!



Thank you to Great Grandma Marie for The Tawny Scrawny Lion book. And a great big kiss, hug and thank you to MiMi, Grampy, Uncles Scott & Jordan. When Cooper opened his Red Sox book he saw Fenway Park and said, "WOW!"



By the end of the day, he was dizzy with party glee.



The weekend had a certain Cape Cod vibe. It made me think back to my summers in Falmouth when we'd swim all day and then stay up all night and play games.







Of course, if my parents plan a party, it's always fun. The Charbs know fun. Thanks mom and dad for making last weekend a success. My kid already has some pretty amazing memories thanks to you. And now that you got him Tee Ball, maybe he'll have a killer swing, too.

How can we possibly continue to top ourselves? We went from Muppets in the park to a beachside inn. What will it be next year? Barney the purple dinosaur drives us all on a bus filled with cookies to Sea World?

Actually, that sounds like good times.

Holy Crackers, You're Two!



Dear Cooper,

Two years ago today I held you for the first time. You looked up at me with big eyes as if to say, "You're my mom...I'm hungry, by the way."

You'll always be my baby, but you are so NOT a baby anymore. You are a little boy.

You climb EVERYTHING.

You say your letters and numbers.

You do the big slides at the playground.

You sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."

You whisper secrets.

You call crackers "ca ca" and your binky a "dinky."

You've fallen madly in love with your yellow blanket and bubbles.

You say "Gonzo" and "Kermit" and you make those particular plush toys kiss each other.

You say "It's stuck," when you try to open things that I've baby-proofed.

You count to ten and say, "Ready or not, here I come!"

You can pat your head and rub your tummy.



You draw, write and paint.

Sometimes you randomly start naming fruits...apple, nana, orinch.

You know many animals sounds and you perform them with true commitment. Your MOOOO for the cow always has gusto. Your kitty cat meow is so delicate. Your frog ribbit is enthusiastic. But my fave is the monkey..."Ooo Ah, Ooo Ah!"



I'm proud of you. I'm honored to be your mother.

I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by.

Someday you'll be a man. From what I've already learned from you in these past two years, I can tell you'll be a great man.

I love you, Cooper. Happy, happy birthday.

-Your Mommy