Happy 2nd Birthday, Moses!

February has been a whirlwind of a month. Papa, Moses, Sooja Emo, and I all celebrated our birthdays this month, with Moses' festivities being spread out over a span of several days involving a party with family, then another party with a few of his little boy friends, and then a much-anticipated trip to Chuck-E-Cheese. Moses even stuck a candle in his slice of cake and insisted that we sing to him at Sooja Emo's birthday party, a good two weeks after his own birthday had passed. Anyway, I think I will be quite content not to eat another bite of cake until Joe's birthday in June!

Here are a few samples of the pearls of wisdom that have been coming out of Moses' mouth in the days leading up to and shortly following his 2nd birthday. I keep a pad of paper in the kitchen so I can jot down the things he says before I forget. I probably seem to be a bit obsessive about this, but I'm just totally in awe of this verbally precocious child who is speaking better than his brothers did when they were nearly twice his age.

Moses, after I gave him a towel to dry his hands: Thank you giving me towel.

Moses, after I came home from movie night at a friend's house: I missed you, Mommy!

Moses: My birthday coming soon! I wanna go Chuck-E-Cheese my birthday!

Moses, telling me what theme he wanted for his birthday party. Are almost-2-year-olds even supposed to know that they can have a "themed" party? We granted his request with a Pooh cake and Pooh gifts at our family celebration: Mommy, I want a Pooh birthday.

Moses, stirring water in the turtle pool with a stick: I cooking dinner.
Me: What're you cooking?
Moses: I making cookies dinner!

Moses, seeing some children riding bikes down our street: Where those kids going?

Moses, in response to his brothers' request to let Pinky run around on the porch: No! Pinky can't go on porch. He could die!

Moses, while eating a clementine: Pinky no eat that orange.

Moses, while eating strawberry jam straight out of the jar: Mmm, jam. I eat it. Praise God!

Moses, at dinner: We need to pray.
Joe: Ok, let's pray.
Moses: No, wait til Mommy comes.
Joe: Ok, that's a good idea.
Moses, observing that Joshua has continued to eat while Joe prays: No, Joshua! No eat. Pray!

Moses: Oh no, my drink all gone!

Moses, while lining up three blueberries in a vertical row, like a snowman: Hey Mommy, I making a snowman.

Moses, upset about being excluded: Hey Mommy, Caleb not playing me.

And we'll end with a mealtime prayer from Caleb:
Caleb: Dear God, thank you for this roll and jam and Mommy and Daddy and Joshua and Moses and Mimi and Papa and Uncle Chris and Granny and Babo and Texas and Idaho and Kansas and Alabama and New Mexico and Hawaii and Ohio. Amen.