Ian Is Two!

Ian turned two years old yesterday. It's hard to believe in both ways, that it seems so long ago that he was born, and yet it seems like yesterday. It's so nice to celebrate the completion of our family. His mother, unfortunately, had to work in the morning. We had a lovely celebration with his Spanish grandparents and aunt. As one might expect, he didn't really have any clue as to the significance of the day, but he had a grand old time. On the morning of Ian's birthday, I went to the local grocery store to buy materials to make the paella. When I got there, a septuagenarian woman who Ian and I normally see every morning entered the store. She wasn't there to buy anything, but was there to see me. She gave me a coloring book to give to Ian, and another more advanced one for Nora. She had remembered that it was Ian's birthday and had (probably) seen me enter the store from her house and had come to give me the gifts. As she was giving them to me, she told me that, "Husbands come and go, but sons are forever," which I thought was a beautiful sentiment, but then she broke down in tears and hugged me. I don't know her story, if Ian and I remind her of family that she wishes she saw everyday like us or what, but it was a sweet, genuine and moving gesture.

Nora's best friend Carmen, who is exactly six years older than Ian, and her mother made this lovely crown for his birthday.

"I'm getting bigger, Sister! Just you wait!"

Paella for lunch, eaten the proper way, with a clam for a spoon.

A "New York style" cheesecake that his mother made, which, unfortunately turned out to not really be very edible. But it sure looked good!

Birthday boy!

Family portrait.

All attendees.

Ian's (and mine) favorite gals.

Six year old sisters really come in handy when it comes time to open presents.

A book and balloon powered car from Grandma and Grandpa (Rasmussen)!

A construction vehicle from Mommy and Daddy.

The best present of the day, however, was, hands down, the ginormous balloons from Great-grandma (my paternal grandmother). They got kicked around the living room for quite some time.

Later we went out for a walk, and Nora practiced her roller skates, although Ian demanded to hold her hand the whole time, which didn't really provide much support when she lost her balance.

Happy birthday, Ian! We love you an indescribable amount. Thank you for joining our family.