Ari Turned 2

 How do i know Ari turned 2- we had 3 birthday parties for him!  Our first party was a shabbat party for Ari and the Lipsett side of the family- that is big enough.  Uncle Marc, Aunt Liz, Freddy, Zach, Jake & Morey, Uncle Andrew & Sandy and Grandma Judy- he loved it.  What's not to love he loves them all and he loves Shabbat.  Marc & Liz et al loaned him the hugest bin of Lego Duplos ever- it's huge- it was started buy their cousins, added to with the four of them and now Ari is the custodian.  I am thinking of cutting it down a bit so it is more manageable and not overewhlming.

The next party we had was for his friends only a couple from school, Ona our next door neighbor and Riley, his big girl block friends, Kieta, Cam & Sydney, and some of his Jewish friends Leah Skiles, Mae & Oliver it was a perfect number.  In fact I'd say we nailed the party - we called for an 11am start time, we had food out: pizza and a mac n cheese, drinks, cupcakes baked by yours truly at 11:50, then we had a musician come around noon for a concert sing along done at 12:45 and out the door at one.  The only hitch was that Ari got sick at 7am- he just puked in our bed- we thought it was something he ate but apparently not as we heard from other parents that their little ones go sick and so did they and so did we- it was a very fast, lightning virus, Ari vomited and had diarrhea, Lisa got ill & I succumbed too :(  We pretty much infected everybody who walked through the door- Happy birthday a little gift from us to you.

The last party was one at school, Bamboo Grove.  They do a Montessori ritual of walking a globe around the sun with months, years, 2 walks around for a 2 yr old, a song and I made more cupcakes ( Jaya can really scarf down cupcakes)- minis this time.  Fabulous recipe from Brown eyed Baker.  We spoke a bit about how Ari is and was.

What I can't get over is just how fabulous Ari is.  He wakes up each morning ready to go, even when sick - he actually said his back hurt but we now know it was his tummy, oops.  He wants to go downstairs and play and he tells us all this there is no mystery.  His language mastery is amazing- he has an amazing vocabulary and puts together wonderfully complex sentences and thoughts.  Lately there has been no separation anxiety (within the last week) just a cheerry goodbye at Bamboo Grove.