Aug
29
August 29, 2007
I had this vague notion of putting together a nice little video montage for Riley’s second birthday like I did for his first, but technology has conspired against me: my desktop machine is stubbornly refusing to acknowledge peripheral devices and thus the fancy digital camcorder remains clogged with footage from the last few months. Suck.
I’d feel more guilty, but I finally put together his “Baby’s First Year” book (thank you, Shutterfly!) TWO WEEKS AGO, so clearly this whole delayed Precious Memory stuff is par for the course in my household.
Humor me, pretend this space [ X ] contains a lovely video showing my son’s miraculous leaps of development from squalling, angry one-year-old to squalling, angry two-year-old. With fancy transitions and shit.
Riley’s birthday is on Friday, and the current plan is to be hanging out at the family cabin in Oregon, hopefully enjoying some nice weather and eating a big ole Dairy Queen ice cream cake. There was some murmuring about whether or not I wanted to bake him something myself, until I reminded all involved parties that I DON’T HAVE AN OVEN. I didn’t use all caps when I said it, but they were implied. Besides, I still remember last year and the adorable, delicious homemade heart-shaped (HEART. SHAPED) cupcakes I slaved over, and how Riley viewed my efforts with the kind of suspicion normally displayed by customs agents and British headmasters.
It has been a trying, exhilarating, amazing, difficult, and unforgettable two years since Riley entered our lives. I feel like we have climbed Mt. Everest a thousand times over, and the view is always changing, more marvelous than the day before, but the terrain never gets any easier. Sometimes I think that’s the nature of the very best things in life, that they take hard work, because the payoff is that much sweeter. (Of course, sometimes I think that’s idiotic and there’s a reason why everyone wants to win the fucking lottery.)
Parenthood is the biggest thing I’ve ever done, that I ever will do. It is the hardest thing, it is the most relentlessly brutal, and it is a wondrous and nearly painful joy. What can I say that hasn’t been said a thousand times before? I love my boy, so very much.
Newborn.
6 months.
1 year.
18 months.
2 years.
(Oh, how quickly it’s gone by. It’s hard to believe, but there it is in pixels: two whole years.)
Have a wonderful weekend, friends. I’ll talk to you in a few days.
Comments
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Happy Birthday Riley! Lots of love to you and your parents.
Happy birthday Riley! I’ve loved reading about him for the past few years and, yeah, there has been much worse time spent at work than seeing pictures of your adorable boy.
Happy Birthday Riley! :)
Just print that out and paste it in a scrapbook. Done. Beautifully written, per usual. I just adore that first picture. Happy Birthday, Riley!! You’re such a lucky boy, and not just because your mom buys you Dairy Queen ice cream cakes.
Oh wow, happy birthday, Riley!
Happy Birthday and have a wonderful weekend…
Happy birthday, little guy!
I love that he looked suspicious even as a newborn. That is excellent.
Oh, man, is he cute. That face!! Why isn’t he suspicious in any of those pictures, though? Perhaps it’s hidden suspicious, undercover suspicion if you will.
Either way, have a very happy birthday, Riley! (DQ cake is the absolute best).
he has grown so much! ahh. crazy to me that i have been reading your blog since a little after he was born. thanks for keeping me entertained and to the boy who is the reason behind it all… happy birthday riley!
What a great post and fabulous photos.
Happy 2nd Birthday Riley! And congratulations to your Mom and Dad for surviving the past two years!
Happy Birthday, Riley!
Happy Birthday Riley! I’m proud to share this day with such a suspicious individual.
If wishing Reily a happy birthday is as siccessful as wishing Ian a happy birthday yesterday was, then…I’ll just tell you to wish your son a happy birthday from me. *smile* It’s hard to believe how quickly 2 years goes by.
Happy 2nd Birthday Riley! I hope the trip wasn’t too painful and you’re all having fun this weekend.
Happy Birthday Riley!!!
Hope you get that ice cream cake, and Riley has a great birthday. Lucky you, that you have such a beautiful family, and lucky them, that they have you. Because you kick serious ass with the jokes and all.
The suspicion, it was there since birth. As was the insane cuteness. Linda, between you and Amalah? Cutest wee dudes on teh innernets. The ovaries, they explode. Happy birthday, little dude!
PS: consider me having a howler monkey tantrum that we can’t get a video of Riley. I’m dying to hear his Extremely Important Things To Say.
he is so beautiful!
That child is ridiculously beautiful. Happy birthday, kiddo. :-)
Happy Second little man
God DAMN. I bawled last year when watching that video, and I knew I’d cry again but STILL had to give it another go. And this year? SOBBING. I’m sure being pregnant doesn’t help but my lord woman. You sure know how to play with our emotions!
The happiest of birthdays to Riley and you and JB. Thank you for letting us read about his life, and I can’t wait to read more (about the new little one too).
Happy birthday, Riley, and happy Riley’s birthday, Linda and JB! :)
Happy Birthday to the cutest boy I’ve ever seen! HOORAY RILEY!
I love that last picture. He’s adorable.
Thanks for sharing it with us all.
The montage is fantastic. Wish I could put together stuff like that.
I’d love to hear more of your thoughts about parenting…