Happy Birthday, Baby Girl

We celebrated Abby's second birthday last weekend. This picture is from right after she had blown out both candles on her cupcake. The entire time that everyone (a crowd of grownup relatives, plus a couple of cousins and her brother and sister) sang "Happy Birthday" to her and during the whole candle-blowing experience, I was moved to tears. She has grown so much emotionally. I had never seen her so completely thrilled and proud. I had never seen her so aware that everyone was making a big fuss about her. It is the beginning of her self-consciousness, and at this particular moment, that awareness was marked by joy and affirmation and pure glee. As one of my friends said, she looked like she was busting. I think it was the best thing I ever saw.