The TERRIFIC Two's

Marcella turned the big '2' on Saturday!!!

In lieu of a birthday party at home, we decided to go to the Kalahari in the Wisconsin Dells, with Grandma and Papa Lynn. We hadn't gone to the Dells in many, many, many years---but its amazing how priorities and interests change once you have children. We all had an absolute blast, celebrating the arrival of Marcella's 2nd year.

Mar's all-time favorite song is the "Star Spangled Banner" (perhaps all of the baseball games we go to have something to do with this indoctrination....or perhaps she just really is this patriotic....i think it might be a combination.) Anytime we are ANYWHERE and see a U.S. flag (no matter the size or distance away), Marcella immediately points it out, announces "FLAG!!!" and we proceed to sing, "Oh, say can you see...." It may not be pretty, but it is patriotic.... With all the practice we have been getting, Marcella and I may very well be invited to sing the National Anthem for this upcoming World Series in Milwaukee....

So, when we asked her what kind of a birthday cake she wanted, it was only natural for her to respond

"FLAG CAKE!". For the last month, she has stood firm in her request for a 'Flag" cake, despite alternative suggestions such as a princess cake, or a beach cake, or a kalahari-themed cake. And good thing Grandma came through! Grandma made her the coolest flag cake ever, from scratch! When it was unveiled to Marcella, her eyes got as big as balloons, and it was almost as if you could see her thought process "Oh my! I really do have a flag cake for my 2nd birthday! Dreams DO come true!". And by the way, the flag cake tasted as good as it looked!

In between cake & sun & water & fun, I decided to try the surfing ride at Kalahari. Oh boy. Here is a little 'documentary' of the surfing incident. (Click on the video below to see the big kahuna.) Marcella is going to look back at this video on her 18th birthday (ok, or her 13th/14th/etc), and just shake her head at her loca mamacita!

Here's our Happy Little 2 year old in her sunshiney dress. She lights up our every day in so many ways. We are eternally grateful for our princesita.