Monday, November 2, 2009

Party people, unite


With all due respect to those lucky kids born on Arbor Day or Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Hope still has you suckers beat. For our money, no birthday is more fun than Halloween, and we did it up again this weekend.

Continuing a tradition of future humiliation that began last year when we dressed Hope up as a turkey, she was a ladybug this year. For the uninitiated, a ladybug costume is a lot like a turkey one, only it's a big red sack with red dots rather than a big brown sack with feathers.

No matter, she the envy of the aphid colony, getting gussied up after a hard day of pumpkin carving. We had every good intention of trick or treating this year, but the weather was cold, the porch railing beckoned and Hope is accursed with lame parents. We had planned on hitting a few houses, but instead stuck to custom and sat on the porch and doled out Almond Joy, Baby Ruth and Big Boy coupons to all comers. We feel a bit guilty that we punked out, but rationalized that Hope couldn't eat any candy besides lollipops. Next year, we promised.

Sunday we partied like Norse Gods, eating Elmo cake, ate ghoulishly themed food prepared by Mo (Mmm. Mmmm. I love me some Zombie Fingers, but wish I didn't have to pick around the green olives of the Eyeballs of the Undead) and played Mo's all-time favorite game, Pass the Pumpkin. It's a lot like Musical Chairs in that it involves music, flying elbows, bruised egos and lots of arguments. Somehow, the party acquired an Elmo theme. Like a lot of new-ish parents, our qualms about embracing rampant commercialism gave way to wanting to make happy our girl who loves the Tickle Me Kid.

All in all, we whooped it up like we were at Greek Row in an archetypical Big 10 School. It's tough to believe sometimes that Hope is 2. Some days, it seems like forever. Others, it seems right. But it's a great milestone to chart progress. Last year, Hope wasn't even sitting up. Now, she's cruising like a big girl in a loaner walker and seems more like a toddler every day.

Next year, we hope she's walking for real.

5 comments:

Debbie said...

Looks like the weekend was awesome!! She was a super cute lady bug. :-)
Happy Birthday to Hope and congratulations to Mo and Joel, you two have done am amazing job as Hope's parents. Kudos to you!! xooxoxox

Misty said...

love all of the pics! what a beautiful birthday girl! and i agree that hallween has GOT to be the BEST day to have a birthday! candy AND presents.. AND dress up! nice!
she is doing amazing! and she is so darn cute! :) thanks for sharing pics!

Anonymous said...

Connor and Garret gave her beer??? That's some party!!

What a hoot, and how nice to have you bloggers back on duty! More video, please! I love watching her walk, and it's great to see her in her glasses. And, of course, to see Mr. Potato Head in action.

Love from Maine,
Grandma K.

beth said...

Hey, the blog is finally back! Woot!

Great video - Hope looks so cute in her glasses and like such a big girl sitting at her Elmo table.

Beef looks cool with a birthday hat on, too.

Anonymous said...

(Belated) Happy Birthday, Hope!

LOVED seeing her walk!

No one does better video than you guys.

Barbara