It’s very, very cool to see how excited Ava is getting about her birthday this year. I think what’s neatest about it is that she’s not excited at all about any presents she might get (I’m not entirely sure she really understands the whole present thing yet), but that she can’t wait for her (not so) far-flung relatives to come and celebrate with her. When she talks about her party, it’s like she enters some sort of trance in which she reels off the kind of cake she’s going to have, what color it will be, how she’ll ride the train at the park, and that Uncle Kevin will only get a “tiny piece” of cake (sorry, Uncle Kevin). She has the guest list memorized, right down to my mom’s dog, Fritz, and “maybe Zoe, too.” Zoe is a neighbor’s dog that my mom watches from time to time.
Last year Ava couldn’t have cared less about her party, it seemed. She had a good time while she was there, but it’s uncertain whether she knew she was the center of attention (“Why is everyone watching me blow on this cake?”). I’m very much looking forward to watching her interact with all her guests this weekend, and I’m particularly eager to see the look on her face when her pink cake is unveiled. Maybe Uncle Kevin can sneak two tiny pieces….