Boo was two on Memorial Day and it was a memorable day for all of us. We went to a local beach on the river, and had a blast. We spent a leisurely afternoon having a picnic and eating cake, blowing bubbles and building sand castles, splashing in the water and opening presents...and most of all appreciating our family and having fun.
Tex and Bubba showed up bearing smiles...and gifts!
Boo hopes he is as cool as these two when he grows up. They are good examples for him.
We are proud of both of them.
Cousin Brother Bear and Baby (not-so-much-a-baby-anymore...boo hoo) Boo had fun playing together.
My brother, still part kid himself, entertained the younger crowd by blowing bubbles for them to chase and pop.
What a good daddy (and uncle) he is.
Someone was excited to get a My Little Leaptop from Nanny and Poppy. Maybe he will take apart his own laptop now, instead of mine (I am currently missing three keys on my keyboard, thanks to Boo's curiosity). Firefly is obviously interested, too. But she is being polite and waiting for Boo to look at his present first. Good girl!!
Other thoughtful gifts included: a soft handmade blanket from his aunt and uncle, a remote control car from Bubba, a latch & lock puzzle, two other Melissa and Doug chunky puzzles, a harmonica & a kazoo, and an adorable farm board book from Mommy and Daddy (and the siblings), and a few Baby Signing Time videos (we love Signing Time) from Great-Grandma. Yay! Thank you, everyone!
Daddy, Firefly, and Cowboy playing games.
My sister-in-law (Mama Bear) having a heart-to-heart with Brother Bear.
This puzzle isn't really a puzzle. It is a latch board with all kinds of latches and locks, from Melissa and Doug. My favorite natural health store went out of business (so sad), but that meant great bargains on stuff I'd normally not afford. Boo LOVES opening and closing all the doors and locks.
Isn't Little Bear adorable?
Daddy demonstrates the harmonica while Cowboy waits for a turn, and Boo, as well as those others you can't see behind me watch excitedly...I wanna try!! They all wanted to blow on the harmonica and kazoo the rest of the time. What was I thinking? All I can say is that it was on sale.
This is where Poppy snuck in that first sip of Coca-Cola. Naughty Poppy.
Baby Bear is wondering when it is his turn.
I think Tex is laughing at Angry Birds. Thank you so much, brother, for introducing him to that game.
Boo can't stop climbing everything in sight, even at the beach.
More bubble action. It never gets old.
The birthday boy wasn't so sure about the water at first.
The others, however, were not shy about it at all. Cowboy jumped right in and tried out his nifty water wings and cool tube. Gotta love the Dollar Tree!
Brother Bear is contemplating whether he'd rather dig in the sand or swim.
Ladybug does not wait one minute to dive in and refuses to get out until the last possible moment. She is part mermaid. I knew this already because she likes to take her bath last so she can stay in extra long until she has gone way past prune-y to positively mummified.
Mommy finally convinces Boo that the water isn't too scary by spending time sitting in the shallows with him playing (and examining numerous shells and rocks), then slowly working out into the water floating on a tube. Once Boo got out on the water, he did not want to quit. He liked spinning around slowly and riding on the waves gently.
Digging is fun, too, says Brother Bear.
Chatting and watching the little ones play keeps us all young,
with a smile on our lips and joy in our hearts.
Something about this sand is fascinating to Boo...isn't it amazing when everything is so new?
He's so insatiably curious. I think he will be an inventor, or a mechanic, or an engineer, or a researcher who will find a cure for cancer. The possiblities are endless.
Happy birthday, precious one...irresistible, fun-loving, mini-mayhem, octopus arms, tornado boy, kiss monster, sweetie pie Boo Bear. We love you!!
The little guys had a hard time leaving behind their sand castle to succumb to the incoming tide, but we reminded them that there is always more sand, and there are many more days of playing on the beach to come.
We had a wonderful time and can't wait to do it again...
I hope you are having a blessed summer, filled with love and laughter.
Blessings,
Oh wait, we can't stop without a birthday cake picture. I hope you like it!
Boo's 2nd birthday. Cake. With blue icing. Everywhere. Yum!
And thank you to all who served, and continue to serve, including Hubby. We appreciate your sacrifice. Especially to those paid the ultimate price for our freedom. God bless you and your families.
