Celebrating Claire's Second Birthday at Home

A weekend in mid-October, back in 2008. We were home for Claire’s second birthday. The photos from that day feel so immediate. Here she is, sitting on the couch in her pink paper crown, next to a gift bag decorated with cupcakes. It was a simple, indoor celebration, just family in the living room.

The main event, of course, was the cake. A classic white cake with bright pink frosting flowers and ribbons, sitting on the coffee table in front of the TV. Her expression as she stood in front of it, ready to dig in, was a mix of concentration and excitement. It was one of those moments that feels so big when you're two years old.

After singing and blowing out the single candle, she got her piece. The subsequent photos are just pure, sticky joy. Frosting on her nose and cheeks, a big smile, and a plastic fork in hand. Nothing captures the spirit of a kid's birthday quite like the messy, happy aftermath of the first bite of cake.