Joe Mav Turns 2

We had a birthday last weekend! Joseph Maverick Munion is 2! We thought a bug zoo would be appropriate, even though no bug is safe with him...lots of squished bugs around here...he just loves them to death is all. At least most of these were behind glass.

 Tarantulas everywhere. But the bees were the stars of the show.

They make honey. And we love honey.

Oh hey, you can hold them! How quaint. *Shutters*.

 There was a decent aquarium too.

 Eventually we made it into the butterfly pavilion. Thousands of butterflies fluttering freely around this beautiful enclosure. They liked Dave's neon shoes.

 Riley, who we thought would love this exhibit because she has been on a big butterfly kick lately, frequently flying around the apartment saying "I'm a bootiful butterfly!", actually was not a fan. More like the opposite. She could not abide butterflies landing on her arms and flying into her hair. So Dave took her to the face painting and I stayed with Joe.

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It was pretty dreamy. I kept thinking of one of my favorite children's books, Girl of the Limberlost, although Elnora's thing was moths. I have never heard of any moth pavilions - they wouldn't be as marketable, I suppose. Regardless, the butterflies were lovely and Joe and I passed a very nice 20 minutes chasing them around and peering into bushes to see how many different ones we could see. He desperately wanted one to perch on his arm - every time we got close he would raise his arm up and hope, but they were (rightfully) wary.

Following the pavilion, we joined Riley and Dave for face painting (or, arm painting, as the case may be). We picked a good weekend to be there - they were celebrating the Pavilion's something-eth anniversary so in addition to the usual displays there were all kinds of games and snacks, face painting, a caricature booth, people dressed up like bugs and one very tall person on stilts.  How nice of the universe to arrange large community parties on our children's birthdays :)

Cockroach Race. Yuck!

Riley found another bee display. This bee expert is finding the queen bee for them.

Sitting for a portrait. It's a patient artist that will sketch these wiggly babies.

"And from up here you all look like little ants."

Afterwards, we went for ice cream. Well, fro yo - the Munions like to pile candy on top of and in addition to our frozen sugar milk. Hey, it's a birthday!

 That is, almost a birthday.

It was official on Sunday.

 Joe loved being the birthday boy - he got toys, books, handmade clothes from Mom, Belgium chocolates fresh off the boat from Don, Jake the Pirate toys and a soccer ball from us, and Jake the Pirate band aids from Riley. Really! She saw them at the store and begged us to "get them for my Joey." They have both sustained multiple, if invisible, wounds since then that required a band aid with a pirate on it.

Riley also got a dress from Mom that matches Joe's outfit and they have worn them two three days in a row now. But just try and get them to hold still for a picture!

Nope.

Nope.

Nope

And ah well.

The problem was they were too excited with Don and Jake there. Thanks for coming, you guys! That's two birthdays in two months - you know you are a tradition now, right? 

It's safe to say our little boy had a happy birthday. We certainly enjoyed celebrating his two years with us - what a blessing he has been!

When I first saw him he was a little purple, a little long and scrapy looking and my first thought was, "I guess boys don't come out as pretty." But my second thought, when they laid him on my chest was, "I have a son and I'm going to love him everyday for the rest of my life." Man, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was dead gone on him; still am.

It took about a week for me to become convinced he was smart and on his way to handsome. Before he could crawl, he showed a determined, patient nature - repeatedly reaching for toys that were too far away till he wiggled or rolled into reach, but if we moved them into reach he quickly lost interest. He has developed into a very loyal and affectionate toddler with the merriest eyes when he is amused. I could go on but lest I come off braggy (too late?), let's wrap this up.

Thank you for all the light you bring into our lives, Joe! We love you!