Mac is 2

Aw, MacAlister Raymond Gunn is now a legitimate two year old.  I feel like we've already been dabbling in the terrible two's, but now it's official.

We had a great day.

He woke up ridiculously early, must've known it was a big big day.  (It might have also had something to do with the fact that it was day 3 without the bedtime binky.  So far so good ... just wakes up a little earlier.  I guess I can deal with that.)

I had hung blue streamers outside his door and all over downstairs, and though neither Mark nor I expected them to last very long, Mac surprised us both by running through them over and over again.  If one accidentally fell, he begged us to put it back up.  They're still there.

Dad went off to work in the gym and study for the dreaded boards this weekend, and Mac and I had our typical breakfast and went on a brisk walk up a giant hill to a park.  After a solid two hours, I decided birthday or no ... time to move on.

We arrived home just in time to meet Daddoo, and hurriedly changed and hustled off to Knott's Berry Farm. 

 Their arms were up for every ride, and Mac cried each time they ended.  Luckily no one  was at Knotts that day, so they went on every ride twice.

Pretty sure he bounced in the Snoopy House for at least 20 minutes.

 After a solid two-and-a-half hour nap (during which I crafted the sweetest Mickey cake ever seen -- thank you Mom, for the cake pan), he woke up just in time for all sorts of friends to come and have breakfast for dinner.  Chocolate chip pancakes, hash browns, scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit.  It was a feast.

The birthday crew: Molly, Seth, Luke, and Matt.  Don't worry, Mac didn't just stare at them the entire time.

 We then pulled out a real-live straight-from-Mexico pinata I got at a corner shop down the road.  Super cheap, and quite durable.  The one and two-year-olds went at it for fifteen minutes or so, then we handed it over to four-year-old Luke to get the job done.  To keep the others from getting in the way, we had a steady stream of bubbles coming on the other side of the green. Worked like a charm.

Luke and Matt had to leave after this.  Luke told his mom, "Wow.  That was one great party."  Thanks Luke.  Couldn't have done it without you.

 The kiddos gathered candy and fruit snacks in their Mickey Mouse Club House goody bags, which already had a few nifty Mickey trinkets.  Then came the cake.

Wish I could make videos work on here.  Mac loved blowing out the candles; he called them "Fireworks!"  When I brought them out.  He was quite sad after he blew them out.

And then presents.  Nana sent us back home with a box-full from Logan.  Mac liked opening them, but he generally got into the present after it was opened and wasn't interested in opening another.  However, we were on a time crunch and whipped through them pretty quickly.  Seth was helpful with this.

 There was only one Mac vs. Seth "MINE!" fight, which was surprising.  And it ended with some great man hugs and lots of "'Appy Birfday Mac!"  Thanks Sethela.

 We spent the remaining time before bed playing with toys, watching Thomas, and showing Nana and Bumpa all our treasures on Skype.  Mac was in heaven.  He has been playing with those toys ever since.  I love seeing him get more excited about things ... as crazy and frustrating as toddlers can be, they are undeniably so much fun.

Plus he's really, really, ridiculously good-looking. 

Happy birthday little Mister.  Sure glad you're our boy.