When she woke up this morning, I asked her if she knew why today was such a special day. Knowing of our morning plans, she said, "Pumpkin patch!!" I said, yes, we indeed were going to the pumpkin patch (one of her favorite places), and then asked if she knew of any other reason why today is my favorite day of the year. She thought a moment, as the sleep cleared, and then exclaimed, "My birthday!!" I sang to her and we played a little, had breakfast, and then got dressed for the first part of our day-long celebration.
Because Uncle David had a business mixer this evening and couldn't attend dinner, he offered to have an outing with us to the Peltzer Pumpkin Patch since Katie loves it so. Boppa also wanted to come along. Katie was so excited!
Katie is ready to go to the pumpkin patch and dances with our scarecrow decoration this morning right before we leave.
Katie checks out the train at the pumpkin patch. She calls it "Thomas" after Thomas the Train. She loved the engine and pulling the bell cord.
Oh look, it's a friendly ghost! Katie loves the freedom to run through the patch discovering all kinds of joys and thrills.
Peekaboo, Uncle David (whose face is in the left eye of the pumpkin).
Peekaboo, Boppa!
Katie runs around to many of the pumpkins calling, "Hello, pumpkin!" and "I love you, pumpkin!"
After visiting the goats again, we attempt the corn maze.
Follow the leader: Katie loves looking for her footprints over a path we have tread. Boppa taught her about looking for the imprint of our shoes.
My Little Autumn Girl in a field of corn. Every beautiful part of this season is forever part of Katie, to me.
We find a fairytale pumpkin!
Finishing up the corn maze...
Tonight after her small party, Katie put on her new Elmo jammies! She loves them so much! They match my pink and red and white jammies right now, so we feel like cozy matching girls.
See how delighted she is!!!!Coming home from the pumpkin patch and after brief visit at Amie and Boppa's, Katie took a nap while I straightened the house and worked on her cake and dinner. When she woke up, we put on her party dress and my pearls, and the earthy day turned into a more formal evening.
Katie, who is holding her trick-or-treat pumpkin bucket, practices for Halloween as the sun sets and we await her grandparents.
I love my two-year-old! How time does fly... I love her so much. 
Katie offers some treats to Tuna Cat.
When Daddy asks her where she is going, Katie puts her bucket on her arm and replies (as she heads to the front door), "I am going out."
Katie immediately loves her stuffed Peter Rabbit. The Beatrix Potter story is one of her favorites, and she had asked to go outside and show Peter around his "new garden."
Another present from Mommy and Daddy: tesselations. Katie knows what to do without any explanation and she asks to work on several boards at once.
Showing Peter Rabbit the strands of lights we have in our trees.
Opening Peter Rabbit! She tells him, "Don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden." Good advice, Katie.
Opening the Elmo jammies. Katie definitely understands presents now. She was able to open two from Amie and Boppa this morning, but she had to wait all day for the final presents from Mommy and Daddy---which, at one point, was very difficult for her! But she sure had fun opening them!
Happy dancing birthday girl!
Smelling a vibrant red rose on her 2nd birthday.
Ready for dinner.
Birthday dinner: roasted carrots, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf. She ate quite a bit! We used her silver sippy and silver toddler utensils, and the rest of us used the china and Waterford. I love formality and making certain moments and memories distinct through formality. Even after bath, she asked me to let her use the silver sippy in the family room. It is a special occasion sippy, but since it was still her birthday, I let her have fun with it!
Our Happy Birthday sign and the birthday girl!
Here comes the cake! I did a thoroughly homemade chocolate cake and homemade buttercream frosting for her party, so I went ahead and did a box cake tonight. She seems to enjoy the funfetti cake that her Uncle David requests on his birthday, and I love that they have that tradition in common. Eventually, she will choose whatever cake she wishes. My mom always made my birthday cake completely from scratch (and still does, even though lately I have been asking for the slightly more intensive red velvet cake), and I can do that with just about every cake except for funfetti. So we'll see what happens...
Tonight before bath, we were playing with the little car and people that Amie and Boppa got her, pushing it back and forth upstairs. Katie suddenly danced into her room, twirled herself around and around in her dress, and said, "I love my birthday! I love my birthday!" That was an awesome moment. She looked so happy and carefree twirling, and she was just totally speaking from her heart. "I love my birthday! I love my birthday!" Just like that. I wanted her to feel like today was a magical holiday (which is how I feel about her birthday and her birth), and I think she did.
