The Sweet Life: Happy 2nd Birthday!

So I can't believe it. I can't believe my once-little-newborn cutie pie is now a feisty, stubborn-but-happy two-year-old. But it's true. On January 10th (well, actually on January 11th because Boyce happened to have a work meeting the night of the 10th), we celebrated Gracie's 2nd birthday. And let me just say, she got really, really into her birthday. On her actual birthday, we did of course tell her all day it was her birthday, and sing her happy birthday, and we did even set up her brand-new kitchenette in her room to play with. She loved us singing happy birthday. In fact, she didn't nap on her actual birthday because she kept singing "Happy Birthday" to herself instead. :)

We invited Cami to come over the night of the 11th and celebrate with us, too. We ordered pizza (one of Gracie's faves), and surprised her with an Elmo birthday cake. I was quite proud because I made her the cake, and spent lots of time researching exactly how to create a good Elmo and how to get the frosting that Elmo red. (Side note: I should've taken a picture of my hands after making the Elmo red frosting and decorating her cake. They were bright, bright red. Boyce had to use every supposed frosting-stain remover home remedy he could find online (salt, baking soda, vinegar, magic eraser, and all sorts of combinations of those) to tame the color of my hands, and even then, they were light pink for about three days.) To my delight, she did love her Elmo birthday cake and the ice cream that went along with it. I daresay she was in pure heaven.

She sure loves Cami. :)

Attempting to blow out the candle.

Pure delight right there.

Daddy dishing up the ice cream.

Almost done with the cake and ice cream.

After dinner, we let her open all her presents. She loved all of them: the dolly and stroller from us and Aunt Kat, the cute birthday outfit from Grandma and Grandpa Campbell, the books we got her, and of course Rock Star Elmo from Grandma and Grandpa Bonner.