William is TWO, so let's go to the ZOO!

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself with that silly rhyming title. 

A couple of days before school started, William had his second birthday.  We decided to go to the zoo to celebrate.

William was very interested in watching the walrus.  I love his little face pressed against the glass.

He was very interested, until the walrus swam right up to the glass--he jumped quickly back.  It was so funny.  But it is an awfully big creature so very close. 

 We also saw the polar bear,

 and even watched him swim from the underwater viewing area. 

 The Oomingmak was very cool,

as well as the lemurs.  We laughed at the big group sleeping on top of the rock, and the one below all by itself.  We guessed he was the naughty one in time out.

 We took a break from the animals and played at the play area. 

We also got to feed the buggies--this is one of our favorite parts of the zoo.  These birds are so pretty and fly right to you.

 Later that night, we opened presents.   

We didn't wrap this big blue ball.  But he was so excited about it--he wouldn't stop rolling all over the floor with it. 

His main present was this basketball hoop.  It is still a little big for him, but that isn't stopping him.  Look at his smile!

He still clutched his basketball as he blew out his candles on his baseball cake (man, I just want to kiss those baby cheeks!)

and even when David gave him a finger full of frosting to taste before we got the cake served. 

He even slept with it that night (and most nights since).  This boy loves balls. 

Happy Birthday William!  We love this boy so much!  He has brought so much happiness and joy into our family. 

Other things about William:

1.  Favorite foods:  He loves fruit--his favorites are blackberries (he steals as many as he can when we go picking them), grapes, blueberries, strawberries and peaches.  Actually, pretty much all fruit.  He also loves peanut butter and jam sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, pizza, yogurt, eggs, cheese, most all meat, and anything sweet.  He is often found standing up in his high chair (he learned to squirm out of buckle long ago, so I don't bother anymore) yelling "CHICKEN BITES, CHICKEN BITES!"  (He says chicken for whatever meat we may be serving.)  He also loves bacon and sausage and asks for those particularly by name.  Vegetables...well, not so much.  He used to eat them great, but now I am lucky if I can sneak some in his mouth.  I'm hoping that zucchini bread counts as a vegetable these days.  He also loves oatmeal (plain with no sugar--I'm keeping that going as long as I can) and eats it for breakfast most days.  The other day I made a yummy coffee cake for breakfast (my kids favorite that we reserve for special occasions like the first and last day of summer vacation) and he refused to eat it and asked for oatmeal instead.  Crazy kid.  But don't worry, the other kids happily ate his share. 

2.  William loves to be outside.  He is happy with rocks and sticks and balls and bugs.  He loves to jump on the trampoline and wrestle.  I never have to entertain him when he is outside.  This has been a super fun summer with him.  He is all boy.  He generally wants to do everything that Ben is doing. 

3.  He talks a lot.  He pretty much mimics everything that is said, but is talks a lot on his own too.  He has started to string words together into sentences and can be found saying things like "I don't want to" and "William go outside--trampoline."  He has a huge vocabularly and talks nonstop.  He says "mere, mama"  when he wants me to "come here."  The other day I got him up from his nap and he said, "Had a good nap.  Happy now."  He thinks the word "tired" is a synonym of "demonstrating bad behavior."  He always tells me that the the baby crying at the store must be tired, or the other kids are tired when they are misbehaving.  Williams has also started saying, "Fine" when I tell him to do something.  He sort of says it like an annoyed teenager.  Hmmm....wonder why. 

4.  He wants to go everywhere I go.  If I go take someone to soccer practice, he wants to come.  If I go downstairs, he goes too.  He loves to go for rides in the car, no matter where I am going.  Today, I tried to take him to nursery, and he clung to my leg and wouldn't go.  So I took him out, gave him to David, and he dropped him off, no problems.  In the night when he wakes up (still happens more than half the time) David goes in and tells him to go to sleep, and he goes back to sleep no problem.  If I go in and do the exact same things, he cries and cries for me to snuggle with him and won't settle down.  I try to be tough, but I guess he knows that I am a softie.  I mean really, when such a cute kid begs for me to snuggle him, how can I say no?  So...David goes in at night.  It is much better for everyone. 

Love that cute boy!