Look Whooo Turned 2!

Happy Birthday to my little Joey!  I can't believe two years have already gone by.  I was just watching the video of her birth and feel like it was just yesterday (Emotionally, at least.  Thankfully not physically.)  In honor of the big girl we had a fun little birthday play date this morning with some of her friends from nursery.  I pretty much decided the day after her birthday last year that her next party theme would be owls.  I love all the cute owl stuff that I have been seeing over the past year! 

I had grand plans of creating this woodland mural to wrap around the room, and then creating this huge tree that would stand in a corner and have owls hanging from it.  In the end, this was all I did:

Not quite what I'd had in mind, but I don't think Joey cared either way.  We brought some of the toys downstairs from the playroom and just had a nice time playing together.  I think I have finally learned that if you are going to have a party for kids this young, you can't really plan much.  It can be overwhelming, and ultimately frustrating for everyone involved if you do.  After playing for a bit, we had a nice little picnic on the floor. 

Of course, after a light lunch it was time for cupcakes.  Joey decided she couldn't wait for some silly song to get her cupcake, and grabbed one right around the "dear Joey" part.

After the kids got nice and sugared up it was time for presents.  Joey got some really cute sound/music books that she looked at all afternoon.  After careful consideration in the toy aisle, Shelby chose to get Joey a cute little Dora doll. 

Joey and the girls were really cute.  We were trying to get them to all smile for us, and then they broke out the silly faces.

After the party we decided it would be a good time to give Joey her present.  Ok, truthfully, it's for both girls, and we were going to get it anyway, we just figured Joey's birthday would be a good time to do it.  We told the girls to close their eyes and guided them through the back door.  They were both so thrilled to see a trampoline in the back yard!  In a few weeks we are going to be digging a ginormous hole in the ground and putting it in. 

After some jumping, we cleaned up and went to dinner at Cheesecake Factory and then let Joey (and Shelby) ride the carousel and play on the playground.  I think Joey would ride the carousel ten times in a row if we let her.  She has the biggest grin the entire time she is on it. 

I hope Joey had a great birthday.  We love her so much- feisty-ness and all- and couldn't imagine our family without her!