We are off to New York today to join in celebrating Hazel’s 2^nd birthday then to hang out and bask in the “grandparent aura” for a couple weeks.  I can’t wait!  It is an uneventful trip and Mike picks us up at the airport. I join him picking up Willa after school and am in seventh heaven when she come running shouting “Nana, Nana”.  What a joy!  Hazel’s vocabulary is growing and she has added what sounds like “Where’s Nana”. No one is sure if that’s really what she means but, I’ll take it!

I’m baking birthday cake again this year.  At two Hazel hasn’t voiced a specific shape or idea so I’m going with her love of nature and the outdoors.  The cake is an orange aster assembled from cupcakes…. plus, I am trying cake-pops.  Cook’s sampling says they are all delicious and they are pretty cute.  Check out the bugs and butterfly details.

Hazel opens her gift from Granpa on the 13^th, her actual bday.  Note to self, always wrap in tissue paper.  She loves ripping it apart!  The train is a hit too.