3.4.17 - Clara's 2nd Birthday and Cupcake Picnic

First of all, I loved Clara's outfit. Merlene got her a really adorable dress, and this seemed like the perfect occasion to wear it.

After Jack got off work (around 11:30a) he went over to Cupcake Craving and used a Groupon to get the gourmet cupcakes for the picnic. I had sent him a list of flavors: the chocolate (Black Forest, Chocolate Fix, German Chocolate Wish, Irish Creme, S'more Galore, Caramel Comfort) and the rest (Funfetti, Koo Koo for Macaroons, Lemon Moost, Monkey Mania, Raspberry Reward, Strawberry Dream, Vanilla Bliss, and Red Velvet).

Terrisa's Instagram of the cupcakes.

I had thought about getting two dozen just plain chocolate and vanilla smaller cupcakes from Walmart (less expensive), but between a Groupon we had for this place and a birthday check Grandma Wiseman sent for Clara, these seemed reasonable enough for the fun of it. Jack also picked up milk at Costco before heading home.

Despite the fact we were only supplying the cupcakes and milk (the rest was a potluck), we had a lot to pack in the car: blankets, umbrella (just in case), plates, forks, cups, paper towels, coats, all Clara's gifts (from Beth and the grandparents), etc. We still managed to leave on time, which means a lot to me.

I had tried to get Clara to take a nap before we left but it didn't work. She had just played in her nursery by herself for about 30-40 minutes and then fussed to come out. Of course she fell asleep in the car almost immediately and slept all the way to Davis, but that's only about a 25 minute nap compared to the 2 hours or so she usually gets. Oh well.

We arrived at the park at the same time as Henry, Kale, and Terrisa. Clara just stayed very cuddly with me for quite a while. It was windy and a bit chilly (though no raining!) and I kept her bundled in her tiger stripe blanket, but eventually we put her jacket on and that made her more mobile. As more people arrived, Clara noticed the cupcakes, and she kept casually opening the lid to get a closer look.

[cupcake lid pic]

We had a candle shaped like the number two that Beth had given us after Hunter's birthday. It was much too windy to light the candle (despite Henry's and Jack's efforts), but we put it in a cupcake anyway. Dyl was kind enough to videotape while everyone sang "Happy Birthday." 

Blurry screencap of guests singing "Happy Birthday."

Here is Clara's reaction:

After that I cut most of the cupcakes into fourths so people could try different flavors. Dyl and Sarah's daughters, Cassidy and Eva, split the Funfetti one, which is part of the reason I picked it (kids usually love sprinkles). 

I think Jack is offering Clara the cupcake again.

Then they started playing in the park field and Clara joined them.

She saw the playground in the distance and tried to make a break for it. I am much too large and tired to run now, but fortunately she tripped so I caught up to her and brought her back. Then Sarah and I took all three girls to the fenced in playground much closer to our picnic tables. Clara loved that. She was super excited about running up and down the ramps and watching the bigger kids on the swings. I'm so glad it didn't rain because I was banking on her getting to be on the playground for a long time.

I watched her for a while as Jack, Henry, Kale, and Dyl tossed a baseball around, Terrisa went to buy her cat a new toy, and Debbie, Erin, Braden, Rachel, and Shannon chatted by the picnic tables. I did want to visit more, though, so I walked over and asked Jack to take over with Clara, and then I went and talked for awhile with everyone. I think the best part was telling funny stories about Dad and how he handles political debates.

It was too windy to try and open presents and too chilly to stay a whole lot longer, so people started packing up and heading out. Happily, Henry, Kale, and Terrisa (who carpooled from the bay area) decided to come over to our place for more visiting and Tichu. I played a game to 500 with Kale as my partner against Jack and Henry while Terrisa and I visited. Clara was pretty content to go back and forth from sitting in the office chair watching her videos to reaching up to the dining room table to pick off more of Kale's chocolate chip banana bread. Henry and Jack stomped us, with Henry going out first in most rounds, but Kale did score style points by calling Tichu on the very last round and having TWO bombs. He bombed once and Henry beat it, which we all shouted about, and then Kale waited a bit longer and BOMBED AGAIN. It was AWESOME. So we lost but it kinda felt like a victory in that sense.

They still had a long drive home so they headed out. I tried to get Clara interested in her many birthday gifts. I was hoping to at least help her draw the connection between tearing wrapping paper open and fun things inside. But I guess she's still too young, because she didn't show much interest in anything other than Kale's banana bread until we opened the finger puppets from Mom. Those she liked a whole lot.