The Big Oh-Two

Well, it's about time. It's finally my second birthday. I say "finally" not because I've been looking forward to this day for any particular reason, but because I finally have a reason to sing one of my favorite songs.

You see, for the past few months, I've been singing "Happy Birthday" like it's going out of style. I guess it just really stuck with me from daycare, where kids are celebrating birthdays seemingly once a week.

A couple of months ago, Dad secretly recorded me singing it. I've gotten better since then, but I think this is still pretty good. Eat your heart out, Marilyn Monroe!



(If that player doesn't work, just click this link.)

Anyway, like I did last year on my birthday, I'm sharing a month-by-month slideshow of how much I've changed over the past year. The monthly transitions aren't quite as obvious as they were during my first year of existence, but the overall change is pretty drastic when you see what I looked like a year ago at this time. Here goes...

12 months

13 months

14 months

15 months

16 months

17 months

18 months

19 months

20 months

21 months

22 months

23 months

24 months

It's been a pretty great year. In the time between my first and second birthdays, I...

• Started daycare.
• Learned to walk.
• Began speaking full sentences (and learned some Spanish and Chinese).
• Took a trip to Hawaii.
• Said goodbye to my first house when we sold our condo.
• Moved in with my Ya-Ya and Grandpa in Redmond for three months.
• Moved into a new house.
• Had a baby sister!

And the wonders never cease! Just yesterday, I got a birthday card from my Grammy and Grandpa in Kennewick, and they included a $2 bill in honor of my second birthday. Who even knew that such a magical item existed? And it features Thomas Jefferson, one of Dad's heroes!

I can't wait until my next birthday, because I assume they'll be sending me a $3 bill. I bet another super-important president is on that one too. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for William Henry Harrison.