Happy 2nd Birthday Rane!

Today Rane turns 2! Wow, time has flown this past year! I cannot get over the fact that Sweet Baby Rane is now 2 years old. Even though we have a new baby Rane will always be my "Baby Rane." I have always called him that and I was called "Baby Kate" forever, even affectionately as an adult at times, so like me the name has just stuck with him. He is still soooooo sweet loving. I thought having a boy my cuddles were over but that is not the case with Rane. He is extremely loving and usually (sometimes now he will protest) very willing to dish out lots of hugs (now getting tighter and stronger!) and kisses to all of us. As soon as he saw Pierson in the hospital he wanted to get his hands on her and give her a big kiss! He has just included her as a normal part of his life and on his own kisses and hugs her before his nap and bed time. He is such a sweetie!

Rane is certainly, thus far, our ham of the family. He's the superstar! He loves attention and will grab it whenever he can, especially around our families. He is also very funny. He doesn't try to be funny, he just is in his mannerisms and in the things he says/does. We laugh at him all the time. Most of the time he just has to raise his shoulders to his ears and smile really big and he's already got us smiling and laughing.

He is also a very social child. He can claim responsibility for bringing Ella-Ann out of her shell. He has never met a stranger and always, always yells "HELLO!" and "BYE-BYE!!!!" when we are going in and leaving stores. He will chat it up with anybody and everybody and I know he lifts people's spirits when they see his sweet smiling face while waving hello to them in the grocery line. I love pushing him around in a cart at the grocery because it's like social hour for him. He wants to talk to everyone and he usually does!

Rane is also very curious and always has been...now he's just getting into more and more stuff because he's more agile and taller...smarter too! Yesterday Ella-Ann and I went to the Farmer's Market and my phone rang from Spencer while in the car on the way home. I answered it and heard "Hi Mommy!" Of course I tried talking with him a bit and asked, "Does Daddy know you have his phone?" His response, "Yesss." He kept saying "Hi Mommy!" over and over so I asked him to put Daddy on the phone, which he did not. I finally hung up and he called me back! When I got home Spencer had fallen asleep on the couch so I asked him if he knew Rane had his phone and called me. "No he did not," was Spencer's answer to my question. The boy actually managed to figure out Spencer's touch-screen phone, unlock it AND push a few buttons to dial my number....twice! Honestly that is typical Rane behavior. We have always had to keep a third eye on him!

Ella-Ann and Rane now play together most of the time, which is wonderful. They "fight" often as well, but I know that comes with the territory, especially since they are 3 years apart in age. Rane loves to play with her and sometimes gets a little too rough. Yesterday he walked up behind her and tackled her to the ground! He is much stronger than her now and can easily take her down! I guess I will always be getting used to having a little boy in the house!

We had a birthday celebration for him last Sunday when I got home from the hospital since both sets of grandparents were here for Pierson's arrival. I told them in advance that we would be having a little party for him so everyone brought presents and I got a Sesame Street cake (Rane loves Grover and Elmo even though he doesn't watch TV) from Publix. He loved having everyone sing "Happy Birthday" to him and was all smiles. He dove into his huge piece of cake and used the Grover figure that was on his cake as a utensil. He was a mess but loved every minute of it! Yesterday Ella-Ann and I made his birthday cake for today during nap time. When we get home from church we will have cake and he will open his presents from Spencer and I. I will post pictures of both parties later.

Happy Birthday Rane! We love you sweet boy!