Exotic yet ordinary

Things kind of got worse before they got better. By the time I got home yesterday afternoon, the cake, the perfect cake that we slid onto a plate and safely tucked away in the microwave the night before so the ants wouldn't turn it into a midnight snack, had become a little less than perfect. It split along Dora's neck and tummy during the transfer from the plate back onto the cake board. As the day progressed, Dora's face mysteriously split from the top of her head to her mouth. Oh, and her arm broke off. So, I did what I usually do. I got all end-of-the-world and panicky (Hey. YOU stay calm when you think you're single-handedly ruining your child's second birthday).

Eventually, the panic subsided. We filled the cracks with icing, reattached Dora's arm, smooshed her back together again, coverd her with a kazillion stars, and had the cake ready to go with a little time to spare. I called Maya into the room, pointed to the cake as she got closer and asked, "Maya. Who is this?" "Dora!" she said, and tried to sink her finger in the cake. And all was right with the world again.

Happy Birthday, Little Girl!