When you have an event as big as a 2nd birthday, it needs multiple posts.  Today's is about Isaac's stupendous birthday cake.  Isaac's love for trains (a.k.a. Choo Choos) made the theme obvious.  To that end Bianca started in about March looking for train stuff.  She found train table clothes.  She got a train car cake mold.  Then she began designing the look of the train in her head.  Candy would fill in for paint and props.  Everything, even the rails themselves, would be edible. 

We searched high and low for all sorts of candies that could work, driving as far away as Manchester, New Hampshire for the candied sugar squares (the bright colored items on the cars).  The nonpareils were from a chocolate shop in Merrimack, New Hampshire, as were the marshmallow smoke puffs.  The end result, perhaps only about 1% cake (the rest was pure love), was amazing.  Here is the track system (all black licorice):

Here are the train car cakes pre-decoration:

And here is the final product:

 

If love could be measured in the complexity of one's birthday cake, I think it is clear that Bianca really loves her brand new two year old boy.  The only thing that was cooler than the cake itself, was its reception.  It was  hit with all of the kids, young and old alike.  It was quite delicious and Isaac really enjoyed. 

CHOO! CHOO!

Here is a video of Isaac Anthony this morning.  Enjoy.  I know we did.  Also, watch for the moment when he figures out all of the presents are his:

It is easy to see why for thousands of years people have awaited the arrival of a Messiah.  Children, in a very real way, are like local or personal Messiahs.  They offer all of the hope and anticipation of a deity come to earth.  They change your life in deep and fundamental ways.  And they are an embodiment of love.  In this context, the stories of a Messiah seem downright predictable.  I think there is a fundamental human impulse to look at see a baby and then want that for everyone.  I think this is where the need for and structure of a Messiah story comes from.  It sounds silly to say this because there is historical evidence for lots of different people's Messiahs, but the idea of a Messiah, not one in particular, I think is an extension of the natural wonder and awe that comes from experiencing a baby firsthand.

Isaac Anthony, coming into our lives two years ago, was just like it is for everyone that has a kid, is a huge, hopeful, and wondrous event.  I am so glad he came.  I am so glad he is hear.  I cannot wait to see what he becomes.  All of this sounds so familiar with religious overtones.  But in the end, it is a miracle of a different sort.  One that can smile at you.  One that can reach up for your hand.  One that can make you laugh at any point in time.

Thank you Isaac Anthony and I hope you had a nice second birthday.

PS:  We have 879 videos uploaded (and about 10 more not).  That is 1.11 videos a day for every day of his life.  UGH!  There is so much we missed capturing on video.