Ravenna had a Birthday!

 Apparently she also can't believe she is two years-old.

Ravenna is 2 years old! I cannot believe it. We had a little family party to celebrate with grandparents, great-grandparents and even a crazy uncle. In our family we try to make sure that the gifts we give are meaningful and/or useful and everyone was very helpful in keeping up with that tradition as well as respecting our 2010 family resolution.

This year I made Ravenna a felt birthday crown that she can wear every birthday. She loves hats so the crown was a BIG hit. Andrew even got in on the handmade action and helped me to dye some play silks using Kool-Aid and this somewhat ambiguous tutorial. We also got her some fun crayon rocks.

The Birthday Crown

Dressing-up in the hand-dyed play silks.

I love this little girl so much it takes my breath away. How could I not love such a spunky, friendly, genuinely happy person? She is such a fabulous human being; I feel baffled as to how I was chosen to be her mother. Just so I will remember, here are some of my favorite things a:bout Ravenna at age 2:

• When she wants to sing, she pretends she is conducting music
• She figured out how to use my iPod Touch and appropriated it for her own use. Whenever she see's it she says "Pod? Pod!"
• She loves to do songs with motions especially "Head, shoulders, knees and toes" and "Once there was a snowman"
• She copies the things I say when I am frustrated like "Oh, dear" and "Okay...okay" 
• When I am upstairs and she wants me to come help her with something she says "Carrie! Carrie!"
• She talks to herself when she is playing and sounds strangely like me...
• She loves to roughhouse with her daddy 
• She loves to be outside and garden with me; she is very gentle with the seedlings
• She is obsessed with animals as long as they don't get too close
• She is not afraid of bugs
• She makes friends wherever she goes, especially elderly ladies

I guess I could go on forever listing things I love about Ravenna, but I think I will go tell her myself.