She has a number

On the way to our house for Lucy's birthday party, Stella, Maggie and Nolan were in the backseat of Aunt Kris's car discussing the fact that Lucy "has a number now." This is a big deal and source of great pride for the lucky few whose age is still measured in single digits. I, on the other hand, would be happy to surrender a few of my numbers or possibly give them up altogether. At ay rate, Lucy's party was a success. She was a bit more cautious with her opportunity to destroy the cake than Stella was, but she got into it enough to require a bath.

Presents covered the gambit of molded plastic toys, thick cardboard books, and a giant stuffed chair with her name on it. That said, she spent most of the evening playing with the packaging. There was a time when this would have surprised me, but no more. If there is a suffocation or choking hazard amid the spread of shiny new toys, you can count on it being the most popular item in sight.