Go Toot! It's Your Birthday!

It's Rudy's first birthday today, and Marley and I are celebrating with baked goods. We're going to have a half-chocolate, half-yellow cake tonight, and another one on Sunday, when Rudy's larger family will stop by to chant her name while she looks confused at a single candle and Marley and her cousins fight over who will actually blow it out.

By the way, this is my new favorite picture of Rudy. Marley's doing who knows what behind her (as usual), and she's all, hey, what's up with you? You know? She looks like she knows what you're going through and even though things could be better, it's all going to be okay. Thanks, Toot.

Last night, while I was hanging paper chains all over the house, Marley played with Rudy's presents. A big sister perk. But she got tired of the Fisher Price* mailbox after a while and then got to work on some cards and cryptic packages that she hid around the house. She copied my examples for the precious greeting below (Rudy Toot. I love you. Happy Birthday. Z S 3), and she thought that putting a party hat on the R was hilarious.

*By the way, the lady who sings all of Fisher Price toy songs deserves some attention. If you're a parent, and you've got the Sing & Go Choo-Choo, for example, you know you've found yourself in the middle of a passionate rendition of the "Animal Train" song more than once. I like to picture that lady in the recording studio, her eyes squinting with the strain of emotion and effort, with one hand placed lightly on her oversized earphones, a la Simon Le Bon or Paul Young or pretty much any other young British singing sensation in the "Do They Know It's Christmas" video. (Am I dating myself?) Anyhow, good job, Fisher Price lady. That new song I'm learning about mailing a letter is great. Thanks.

Happy Birthday, Toot!