Mini Me: A lot has happened...

Spencer James is officially baptized. We sort of had a last minute Baptism. When I emailed our priest to ask when the next Baptism day was at church, it was in three weeks. Since Catholic school taught me to confess, I have to admit I was just glad that she remembered us considering our embarrassingly long absence from church that sort of spiraled out of control during the height of swine flu season. Good news is that we are back in the swing of things, Spencer already had a beautiful Baptism gown that Toni had made when Alden was baptized, and most of our family and friends were able to make it on short notice.

This was Spencer's Baptism banner. Guess who makes the Baptism banners for our church? I had no idea when I was making the last round that one of them would be Spencer's. The head of the committee let me choose which color I wanted for Spencer. The other miracle was that I finished an outfit for Alden as well that would look awesome with the gown for photos...and then, I totally and completely forgot to take a photo of them together. Go figure!

Alden was so well-behaved and wonderful during church! We were so proud of our little man!

Spencer's wonderful Godparents who agreed to take on the spiritual guidance of both our boys. When Alden was Baptized, he was the only baby in this photo. Now look at our crew! Spencer and Alden were so excited that their friends Anna and Ben came to play.

Our wonderful friends, the Johnstons, came all the way back from their trip to the farm to be there for Spencer. They even brought along Spencer's new friend, Sara, who officially turned two weeks old the next day. Alden and Helen and Spencer and Sara were born almost exactly the same weeks apart (These things automatically bond you for life and play dates). Helen got to hang with Alden and Ben in the nursery for the first part of church. I was so consumed with the Baptism part that totally forgot to go and get them when you are supposed to in the service, but thankfully remembered before the whole service was over. The poor trio were the only ones left in the nursery. And they were all playing alone in three separate corners of the room.

I think I have a disease. The symptoms are that you cannot fully open your eyes in any photo ever taken of you. The condition seems to have worsened as I have aged, but does explain my ability to ruin any family photos. Alden also is suffering from a condition called "I am two years old and don't want to stay still for photos." He also has the ability to challenge the most skilled photographer. We managed a photo with the maternal side grandparents even though Alden looks miserable and I look drunk. My dad had mysteriously wandered off and missed the grandparent photo...

He made it back with the priest. A photo with our priest proves that the whole thing was actually legit.

After the service, we came back to our house for lunch. Daddy got to give Spencer a bottle for the first time. I think he was excited about it.

Alden and Ben worked on a few puzzles.

Anna grabbed up the train tracks immediately. As the only girl in the group for now, she had to step up and show those boys who is boss!

Alden and Ben sharing a sweet moment and a big hug.

Uh, okay, fine. So Ben was shaking the gate and trying to get into the living room and Alden came up behind him for one of his mammoth attack hugs which might be misinterpreted as a slight choke-hold.

I think someone should tell Alden the proper use of the Bumbo seat.

Anna was a good friend to Spencer and helped him to open his gifts.

Spencer got stripped out of the gown and got into his religious-themed onesie. While everyone was eating and drinking and playing puzzles, the main person of the day was stuck in the baby swing going back and forth and back and forth observing. Grana did give him a new rattle to hold. I finally got him out of there. I think everyone was afraid to be the first person to try to get him out of the swing and hold him. We have such polite parents.

He didn't seem to suffer too much.

The boys crashed after everyone left. Alden crawled up on the sofa to be with Spencer. I love the body language Alden gets when he is in photos with Spencer. The very serious big brother look (and Alden is SO not serious) and has this "don't touch me" body language.

Ha! See? Here he is again. This was how we started the morning of Alden's 2nd birthday. A little PBS kids and matching outfits before breakfast. Happy Birthday Alden!

First stop, a sausage and biscuit breakfast! Alden proclaimed that it was, "Yummy!"

Second stop of the day (after all of this it is only 9:00 a.m.) was the farmer's market. We had been there about 5 minutes when it started to rain. This was our only Saturday morning off from swim class for two months so we were bummed that we didn't get to get our supply of fresh fruits and veggies on our visit. All we got as a cup of decaf coffee for Mommy.

Third stop of the day, McWane Center! Alden never thought he would see a real live cow on his birthday!

Waiting in line for IMAX tickets. Talk about crowded. This was the line literally two minutes after they opened. This is why Mom does not do this by herself during the week!

I don't know if you can see it, but this is Alden in his very first movie theatre seat. He was so amazed at the IMAX movie. The movie was called Animalopolis. Do I need to say more about why he loved this? A giant movie screen when you are 33 inches high that surrounds you on all sides with nothing but giant wild animals. Sat still for 40 straight minutes for only the second time in his life and the first was the circus!

Funny to see your kid play with the same toy you did as a kid. The special Mr. Potatohead exhibit was a hit. Alden got his very own "Tato Head" at the gift shop before we left. He is a little Picasso about putting him together, especially with the ear placement. His favorite part is that Tato Head has glasses which he says are sunglasses.

Alden slide down the slide in the Itty Bitty Magic City. There were about ten parents standing and waiting for their children to come down the slide. My child loves an audience. He gets to the bottom, smiling so big because everyone must be there to see him slide down the slide. He sat there so long for his curtain call that another child slide right down on his head!

My version of weight-lifting.

Back at home and a refused nap later, Alden got the big gift from his parents which was a sandbox. We had the box part for over a week, and he payed absolutely no attention to it. Can you believe that Pottery Barn Kids not only delivered it to our house but assembled it for us!? Finally, on his birthday, the sand arrived. Alden helped put the sand in his sandbox. The box part got a lot more fun with sand.

Oh wait, it's not a sandbox, it's a sandboat.

Alden stops and realizes that this has been a very big day and that maybe he should have taken that nap his parents offered him after all. After being stripped down and hosed down in the backyard, Alden made his way to the bubble bath and then to...

CAKE! Let me tell you that there was at least 30 seconds of silence on the phone to the cake place when I told them that we needed a giraffe on a Thomas train birthday cake. Seriously, this can't be the strangest request they have gotten.

Alden blew out his "2" birthday candle. And then apparently remembered we taught him to do with cake at his first birthday...Here is the progression.

After cake (notice we are having another landmark occasion in our pajamas), we opened presents from Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Tommy and Aunt Nicole.

One of the best presents was the "Gertie Ball" from Uncle Tommy and Aunt Nicole. Uncle Tommy bought it to be funny because Alden has a book called "Gossie and Gertie" that he found hilarious. However, we have wanted a ball to kick around the park and soccer field. It is totally awesome. I have never seen a ball come with a straw to blow it up before. I thought that was a Daddy job. He is full of hot air anyway.

Because his birthday was on Memorial Day weekend, we decided to have his real party the weekend after. We will have some GREAT photos from that to come next time...But until then, let us close with Alden and Spencer's double date to the park with Helen and Sara.

Spencer and I had a talk when we got home about how it is not a good sign when the girl sleeps through your date. He told me that since all they can do is eat or sleep, I had to cut him some slack.

Alden and Helen arriving in their car. I like how Helen is taking charge there with the driving. Probably smart.

A car ride followed by a ride on a dinosaur. Yep, Helen is driving that as well. My boys need to step up to the plate.

My favorite photo ever of Alden and Helen.

I am pretty sure Helen is telling Alden he is too little to be trying to slide down the big slide. Either that, or that he was a nut sitting on an aluminum slide in 90 degree weather.