Happy 2nd Birthday Liam!

We celebrated Liam's 2nd birthday at the house and invited over some friends on a sunny Saturday to play in the new yard. It had rained on the day before and the day after the party so we lucked out with weather. We served fruits, veggies&hummus, and our easy pizza from costco, along with mimosas and coffee for the parents. Luckily Iku and Phuong helped out because we had more people come than I had expected and I don't know how I would have managed to put out enough food AND host without them to help!

As I was running around the house and the yard trying to find Liam and Kirra to begin lunch, I saw Thaomy who said, Is it ok if I bring my Nanny here? I thought how odd, why would she even ask? Then Thaomy insisted I meet her. I obliged and when I came into the house I saw THEDA! what a big surprise to me and Iku! It made my day and also upped the awesomeness of what great friends I have by x100! Theda flew in that morning and was going to stay at Thaomy's house. (Thaomy is 9 months pregnant) since Theda is due to leave Cali and move to New Zealand to be with her new husband, Matt. We were so excited to get to see her one last time before her move.

During Birthday cake time we sang happy birthday to Liam. He had the biggest grin across his face while we all sang to him, a p-urely glowing happy face that I recall Kirra having on her 2nd birthday party as well. It was so awesome to see this immense show of true happiness,. and then to see Liam turn to me and watch me for about the whole second half of his happy birthday song. It was a moment of being that little baby of mine who wanted to be reassured by his momma, but also a boy who was so proud to be celebrated.


Liam has really sprout into a big boy in the last few weeks. He's been puttig together more words in longer sentences (something he says now is: "ok mom, wait two more minutes. ok?") and with his increase in confidence comes the independence to do more on his own as well- testing the limits and then talking his way out of having to listen. An example of this is how he regularly excuses himself from meals at the dinner table. He will just get out of his high chair and when I ask him to get back into his seat he will refuse and say he is all done. I explain that if he is done he must wash his hands but he declines to and says "no wash hands mine. two minutes." This "two minutes" phrase seems to him to be more powerful than it really is.

We have been really enjoying this stage for Liam where he's growing out of bottles and being babied. He wants so much to be at the same level as Kirra, and they seem so much like twins that we don't baby him at all anymore. Sometimes Kirra will baby him or call him her baby- which is really sweet and awesome to see. Liam is our sweet sweeet boy and has the greatest big sister to learn from and grow with.