And the Terrible Two's are just a myth - wait until she's 3!
How cool that you had the zoo all to yourselves, tho - what a birthday gift for such a special girl!
Happy Birthday, Juniper!
Happy Birthday little one!
I love this amazing story of your day. It is truly one to remember. I know that Two is coming fast for us and just the thought brings memories of those first days back.
wow, just delurking to say: that was amazing. what a beautiful description... 
Happy Birthday, Juniper!
Oh Happy Birthday Juniper!
Once again, thanks for setting such an amazing parent ideal. Birthdays have always been a big deal to me, its great to read that you made Juniper's so special. Lucky Juniper.
Happy Birthday...and many more tantrums to come! 
She'll outgrow it by the time she's fifty.
Happy Birthday ladybug! Great birthday story Dutch....I don't think I've ever seen a Book of Revelations tantrum....wow...something to look forward to....I think....maybe not.
The happiest of birthdays to the beautiful, Revelations-scale tantrum thrower, Juniper! May she grow more beautiful and funny each and every day. And may she never truly have to share her birthday cake with a polar bear.
Happy Birthday Juniper!
I remember being an intern at the zoo in Buffalo during the winter months. Not a soul around. It was pretty cool--I could talk to the animals and no one would think I was crazy. It seems Juniper just wanted to make sure ALL the animals in the zoo got to share in her birthday 'moment'.
This was beautifully written.
Hope she had and excellent birthday (it sure sounds like it). She is lucky to have such a great dad (and mom, of course)!
Her screaming caused the animals to cower? Be thankful that's all they did. Her tantrum could have led to this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16784154/
Now that's a tantrum!
Happy Birthday Juniper!
Happy Birthday to Juney!
Being that I'm anxiously awaiting the birth of my own first-born, I went back to read Juniper's birth story yet again. So beautiful.
happy birthday, juniper!! what a great day (sans tantrum for dad)!! hope 2 is a wonderful year for you all!!
(ps- exclamation points are for wood)
Happy birthday, Juney!
How did she describe the day to Wood? Was it all animals, yay yay, or was it about how she was upset/cranky/sad/whatever and you calmed her down? I always marvel at how my Petunia will be in a horrible mood about something when it's happening but then will tell the story of the something like she loved every minute of it. Just this weekend, she spent half our time at the Washington Auto Show screaming and crying on the verge of a meltdown, but then she told her Gramee over the phone how neat it was 'driving' all the cars, seeing Dora, riding the Metro there, etc. I don't know whether it's a kind of PTSD or whether the meltdowns just don't phase her that much and aren't worth mentioning.
Happy second birthday Juniper. What a wonderful way to usher out the ones and bring in the twos. Go to the zoo and let the world hear your voice.
she told Wood about all the animals she saw. didn't mention the tantrum. that doesn't mean in three days she won't ask me why the giraffes made her cry.
The private aviary, the concourse, the bison and antelope... so Wharton-esque.
Happy Birthday, Junipers!
Happy (belated) Birthday sweet sweet Juniper
Two has been a little tough for us and also makes us doubt our abilities as parents. Not because our 27 month old is really that bad on the grand scale of 2 year olds, but it is so different from the first 18 months or so. Sometimes you think, who is this angry little person and and what have you done with my sweet baby? Other days (or weeks), sail by with no problems. We have at last gotten over the throw yourself on the ground and kick/scream phase. I had always read that 2 year olds throw tantrums because they can't communicate what they want or need, but that is not the case with our toddler. He speaks very well and has no problem with telling us what he wants or thinks. I think it is just something in the way they are wired at this age. What has worked for us is ignoring the tantrums and being consistent with our response of not giving in.
I really hate it when people say that three is worse than two. People give me a break and lie to me that it gets easier.
Our current battle is the the one more hug, one more kiss, one more song at bedtime battle. He also has begun to wake up about twice a night and yell for his stuffed animal to be covered up or that he needs a hug. Any suggestions for this other than ear plugs?
At least she slept on the way home, right? (Riiiight?)
Happy Birthday to Juniper.
Happy Birthday Junie. What a sweetie.
Too close to reality to even comment, except to say that I feel your pain.
Welcome to Two, Juney. You're in good company.
God, Martina, that story is awesome.
Happy 2! We've been in the twos since November, and it hasn't been as bad as I might have thought. When tantrums do hit, I keep muttering a mantra "this is an important developmental stage; this is an important developmental stage . . ." Anyway, all the best in the year to come.
They way you parent is so beautiful.
Happy birthday to your dear Juniper!
What a great tale. We've been hitting the same type of sudden meltdowns with P. My husband says she is binary: either on or off. When she's off, we do a lot of that running too, to put out whatever is flaming her, literally or figuratively.
Happy birthday, Juniper! Today's my birthday, it's great to be an Aquarius.
Wow, two already!! Crazy. It sounds like Juniper enjoyed most of her day despite the epic tantrum. It's not often you get to choose whether a polar bear will share your birthday cake... it's usually more up to the bear
Happy birthday Juniper/ Juney/ Minnie!
"I held her in my arms like a firefighter bursting from a building collapsing in flames behind him, only less manly (but that's a given: plus, I was singing Happy Birthday)" - Possibly the funniest thing I have ever read. Happy birthday to Juniper!
Letting you kow indeed -- happy birthday!
Aww, what a wonderful birthday story! She's such a lucky girl! Happy birthday, little lady =)
our first BOR tantrum happened on an airplane. Sweet Jesus. A five hour airplane ride. So sucked. So many people with advice. So Two.
Best. Post. ever.
Happy birthday, and welcome to two. This scene reminds me so much of the tantrums I've gone through in the past few months. Luckily, the worst ones are few and far between.
And what is it with zoos having those long paths from the gate to the animals? Here in Columbus, you have to walk around a large pond and back several paths to get to the animals. Not only is that bad when your kid is having a meltdown, but also bad when you're pregnant and worn out before you can even get back to the petting zoo.
Okay, so this post made me tear up. It was written so beautifully and with so much love--an amazing birthday story.
When we eventually have kids (and we're going to start trying soon!!!) I honestly hope to be the kind of parents you and Wood are. Really.
Juniper is blessed. And so are you.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
You made a rookie mistake, Dutch. Newly minted two year olds do not actually want a day where anything they demand, they get. Only grown-ups want that.
What a lovely post. Words fail me, other than this: Happy Birthday to Juniper!
Happy birthday, Junpier!
We once had the sad little zoo in Kyoto all to ourselves on a freezing cold winter day, so I know exactly what you`re describing.
I remember my then-small kids riding the ferris wheel and waving to the old man who ran it, and he smiled and told me they were the only kids who had ridden it all day. And I thought, well, I hope their happy faces and little sincere bowed "arigatoo`s" when they got off helped make it worth it for him to sit outside all day long in the freezing cold, for his undoubtedly meager wage....
that kind of tantrum is one of the more violent things i've ever witnessed. the first time edan did that, i kept thinking -- WHY DIDN'T MY PARENTS WARN ME?
Gorgeous post. So classic. Happy birthday to all of you!
Oh I remember the Detroit zoo very fondly. I went there every summer as a child when we visited my grandparents in Detroit. The bears, gorillas and other zoo creatures were a special way to see animals Id never before set eyes on.
What a fabulous birthday treat!
Wow. Max had one of those Apocalyptic meltdowns in the middle of Ikea last weekend, for no apparent reason at all, except that we were in Ikea and I guess he didn't want to put anything together himself. Nothing I did helped.
And Wood: so sorry you had to spend her birthday at work.
I love that you told her the animals were there to greet her for her birthday.
Stay at home Dad's ROCK!
We call those a "Category 5" tantrum around here. I never realized it before, but that unfathomable fury of weeping and yelling from your child, and how you just try to be there for them as best you can, is exactly like dealing with a newborn at "witching hour."
How fun for Juniper to have the zoo to herself, though. She's going to think it belongs to her now and should always be like that.
One of my best friends lived near the zoo when she was growing up; the street dead-ended into it. They used to find exotic birds on their lawn and you could hear the PA system at the zoo in their house. And sometimes, at night, you could hear animal sounds.
Sounds like a tantrum fit for a deified Persian queen! Here's my request: you need to make that story into a children's book. A real one, not a parody Carl book. With post-apocalyptic photos, even. Just consider it, okay?
annie, one of the reasons posting has been light on sweet juniper is that I have been working hard on some children's books that I should roll out in the coming weeks. I will consider your suggestion once I'm done with them.
Tantrums and all, your life still seems beautifully charmed. I always enjoy reading your descriptions (with jealousy!).
Happy Birthday to your darling girl, and a special nod to Wood on this 'birth' day.
That was weird and wonderful and awful all at once, though I do feel for you with the screaming. Oddly enough, my son did the same thing when he turned two- immediately there were all these meltdowns like I'd never seen before, like he was asserting that yes, he was two and yes, it was going to be hell. (but honestly, two was fun- like everyone says, three is actually harder). Happy Birthday, Juniper!!!
Happy Birtday beautiful girl. Sounds magical (except for the screaming part.)
yay.
loved it.
love the descriptions of the way juniper talks. i wish i had the records of my son written the way you do as this website will be treasured gold to you for years to come. just re-read some of her baby posts and marvel on her being two...then imagine re-reading this awe-inspiring post when she's 20.
congratulations on two years of great parenting...and happy becoming parents day
happy two juniper. thanks for inspiring your dada and mama to share with us.
msmelle
Why am I crying?? Because you ran with her.
So visceral, so basic, so beautiful.
You're an amazing family.
I can't wait for the children's books. What a gorgeous post, it melted me.
What a story- and a birthday. Have the happiest, JuneBug!
Happy birthday Sweet Juniper. Someday you'll read this and see how much your father loves you, lucky girl.
I'm a little late, but Happy Birthday Juniper!
Thank you for sharing this day. Sprout woke from a nap this afternoon completely disoriented and inconsolable. It hurts to see her so upset and not know why or how to fix it. As they acquire the names for the things they see and experience, they will help us more. Wish Juniper a happy birthday from Sprout and I.
A million happy birthdays to Juniper!
And her tantrum officially has me Running Scared. I am terrified of Two.
Happy Birthday! We took Cobalt to the zoo for number two, too! Go January Water-Barers!
no way about the books! I tried to leave a comment early today but my system crashed. it was something to the effect of 'i feel a children's book coming on, minus the tantrum' and lo and behold! great project i am eager to see the finished product.
if i have any more ESP notions i will be sure to leave them in your comments box.
p.s. i seriously thought the urchin photos were really impressive photoshop!
happy birthday, juney. you rule.
can't wait to see the kids' books, dutch. maybe we'll be able to buy one in time for violet's 2nd birthday!
Rock on, Juniper!
G is 3.5. On her 2nd we were at her swimming lesson. I said, "Can you tell Ms. X how old you are today?" G says, "No!" Ms. X says, "Oh, you must be 2."
Nice.
Best description of a tantrum I've read. Happy B-Day Juniper - you're a lucky girl.
Delurking (and days late) to say that was beautifully written. You rock.
Happy Birthday Juniper!
Happy Birthday, Lucky Girl. The zoo all to yourself must have been amazing. And congratulations to Dad for surviving the tantrum. That is scary stuff.
"I stood and danced with her like I did two years ago when we first brought her home from the hospital, still learning how to show her she was safe with us, that we were warmth and that her silent breathing on our chest was all we wanted from the world."
That was really beautiful. Happy Birthday to your sweet girl!
Happy Birthday Juniper!
Are these books as in you're world famous mash-ups? Or are you working on some 'real' books?
Happy Bday J!
It was my bday too! (and I think oprah's...)
2 was a big milestone for my girl (almost 2.5 now)... enjoy!
Happy birthday Junebug!
Yeah, terrible twos were really about 18 months to 2.5, then around 3 and some change, we got into the "WHY" phase. Where we ask why 412 times, even where not appropriate or logical, just to annoy the crap out of our parents. Oy vey.
Keep warm, guys!
Happy birthday, PJ!
The story of my second birthday tantrum has become family lore. One of the party favors was that toy, the wind-up shoes that "walk" on their own. I completely lost my shit when they walked across the table toward me. Polar bears are way more frightening.
Hey, is Juniper an official model for Babylegs?!
dutch you really are the best daddy ever. I just cry every time I read about the most lovely and precious things you say and do with your daughter. It truly is a treasure you are all so very blessed. I know you know, that is what makes it all the more poignant. Thank you for sharing it with us and writing it so perfectly.
Seriously PERFECT
oh my dutch. I really do feel for you. (and wish every time everett had a tantrum *I* was in the middle of nowhere with noone to judge me... *sigh*). nonetheless, lovely and hilarious story. good luck with two. my prayer for you is that FOUR will be easy. in my world, you just have to give up on two and three entirely...
and at least she's irretrievably cute. it's always easier to keep on loving 'em through the tantrums when they're so damned adorable!
Happy birthday! Can you believe it has been two years? Time flies when you're having fun I guess.
Wow. That's quite a trip. I'm glad she calmed down, and that's so cute about saying "name" when she doesn't know anything. She's becoming a force to be reckoned with, no?
p.s. Why is it that while blogger is down screwing the rest of us, your blog works?
Happy Belated Birthday Juniper! This was a wonderful story - thank you for sharing.
So late to this - Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday Juney...to celebrate, we got some new Berkeley graffiti pics. For some reason, I didn't realize that she's exactly between my son and Whitney's son in age. Fantastic.
(That's my pregnancy hormones that allow me to pretend you'd care)
Somewhere there I started crying like a baby. I am not a mother yet and this was not distress over what is to come when I become one. I found this story a beautiful way of describing such moments. That is unconditional love.
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