Blowing & Drifting

Forecast: Significant blowing and drifting, with the possibility of heavy accumulation in rural areas.

Closer to Three

Phase II of Julia's birthday was long (her sister woke up at 5:30 a.m.), filled with treats (coffee cake for morning snack, cupcake for dinner dessert), replete with presents (from Grandma; Grandma's friend Jan; and the Netherlanders - Aunt Beth, Uncle Dan, and Cousin Rebecca), and most importantly soaked in fun: the requisite round of "Happy Birthday," a delicious birthday dinner made by Mama, playing games inside and running around outside with Grandma, wearing a new fairy skirt to dinner, and on and on.

A certain amount of toddler acquisitiveness with the presents (running to get the next gift before remembering to thank the giver of the last one) was more than balanced by her usual charmingtude. The high point came late, at dinner. Wearing her new fairy skirt over her regular clothes, Julia was very impressed by and curious about the fact that the adults - even Mama! - were drinking wine, something she's never seen at table before. Naturally, she had to join in, pretending that her ice water was in fact wine "made fwum oranges, not grapes." After draining her cup, she banged it down on the table and announced, in what I hope will not prefigure any statement made as a 16-, 21-, or 25-year-old, "I just finished my wine! Get me down and take off my skirt!"