2!!

Ladies and gentlemen, we now officially have a 2 year old in the house! Caleb's birthday was Saturday, August 30. We had several family members and friends over to celebrate. I keep remembering his 1st birthday, which we also celebrated, even though he was not living with us at that time. It's interesting how much things have changed in a year! We had a great time celebrating. My parents came over a little early and my mom helped me make sweet and sour pork, garlic chicken, mongolian beef, fried rice, potstickers, and egg rolls (the last two items being from a box). We wanted to keep a Chinese element with the food, simply to remember his country. Except dessert. The kid is so into cars and tractors that I couldn't resist making a tractor cake. Before I was a nurse, I worked as a cake decorator for several years, so this was fun for me:

It may have been a lot of red and black frosting, but who cares? He's only going to turn 2 once!

He received a lot of nice gifts from everyone, although the concept of opening presents seemed new to him. He didn't quite know what to do at first, but then I think he realized that the gifts were for him and he took over playing with certain ones--there was one car in particular that made noise and music when the wheels turned, which we listened to for the rest of the night until he went to bed!

Yesterday, we went to the State Fair for a few hours in the afternoon. It was the usual hot, crowded, overpriced experience that it has been in past years. But Caleb loved it. It's a great place to see farm animals and tractors up close and ride some small rides at the midway. We skipped the pizza on a stick and the deep-fried Oreos and Twinkies this year. Fair food doesn't quite have the appeal that it did when I was eleven years old.

We are enjoying this 3 day Labor Day weekend. Russ and Caleb are currently rebuilding our front step together. Russ started classes last week after having the summer off. He is in one class that meets on Wednesdays, and the other is independent study, so he has some flexibility. He is progressing along well and may be starting his thesis in a few more months! Caleb is doing well at daycare, and we're getting good reports. Except that there is a biter in the crowd and he has already been bitten twice! It doesn't seem to phase him, though. He comes home happy, and seems to be learning more about sharing and patience (at a 2 year old level, at least). I am battling a cold that I am blaming on an exposure to something at my job. Oh well, it's part of working with sick kids and not having the immunity yet. It comes with the territory. I am, otherwise, really liking my job, after being there for 3 weeks. I really enjoying seeing the patients and meeting the regular families, and I've already been learning a lot. And, I'm enjoying the schedule--it's Labor Day and I'm home with my family--so now I'm off to enjoy them!