My tiny human is not so tiny anymore...

July 17, 2013 marked the day that I became the mother of a 2 year old. 

To celebrate, we had not one, not two, but 3 parties! Well two and a half...

*July 11 (Hazels bday) 

We had a twin cousin Minnie Mouse birthday party. We made chicken salad sandwiches and the most heavenly cupcakes in all the land. Neither Dan nor I like cupcakes, but these really hit the spot. It was actually my first time making cupcakes from scratch EVER, but I knew I would like them because my sister made them for my baby shower when I was preg with Stori.

So we ate dinner both inside and outside due to the off-and-on rain storm, sang happy birthday, and then opened presents. Stori got a Rapunzel dress up doll from Granny that she hugged and hugged. It was a great day and we seriously have such an amazing and fun family!! 

As for a present from us....Dan had this grand idea to get Stori a power wheel because he always wanted one when he was little. Well I was very reluctant for several reasons:

1. I didn't want her to get spoiled by toys and material things---I spoil her pretty good by taking her on a walk to the park everyday.

2. I didn't want a giant toy to take up space in our apartment.

3. I didn't want her to want to ride it every day because I would have to haul the heavy thing downstairs and I'm 9 months preg.

4. And, I didn't want to spend the money. I thought a new book or some frozen yogurt would be just great for a tiny human.

 BUT

Everyone I told sided with Dan. And I guess it was pretty cute at how excited he was about his idea---like called me over 7 times in an hour as he was shopping for her. 

So he got all the info and it turns out the power wheel was a Minnie Mouse 4-wheeler that was light-weight, cheap, really small, and perfect for our Stori Rose. So he got it. And she LOVED it!!! She did a great job at sharing it with her cousins while they were at Granny's house too. All in all, a successful bday party!

wearing their twin outfits that they wore when they turned 1

and wearing their new twin outfits that Kristie got them

hugging her Rapunzel dress up doll from Granny

*July 17 twin friend bday party (Astoria's actual birthday)

Sticking with tradition, I decorated the house while Stori was sleeping. I placed streamers down her door so that she would walk through them when she got up. She was soooo excited to see those and called them her princess streamers.

Then we took a trip to the park with Tracen and Alana to play as much as she wanted, and enjoy a free lunch at the park! 

That night we got together for dinner with the Foresters and the Allreds. Lila Rose and Stori Rose have the exact same bday just one year apart. I was shocked at how much fun those 2 crazy girls had. They laughed and hugged for seriously 10 minutes. Alana is the sweetest and gave them matching birthday dresses from H&M and they looked so cute! We ate dinner, had cake and ice cream, and then played and played and played. I am so lucky to have amazing friends!

The beautiful Alana and Alicia posing with the 36 week pregnant giant!

*July 18 no ones birthday but still a party

A sweet girl in our ward works at a horse arena in Idaho Falls and let Tracen, Stori, and Lila come and ride her Pony "Little Bit." Tracen enjoyed the trucks they had there to play with more than the Pony, but Lila and Stori absolutely loved their Pony rides. The pony was small so it made our girls look way older than they are. She walked them each around the arena 4 times and these kids thought they were in heaven!

      

So far, turning 2 is 3x's the fun. She is talking so much and just makes our hearts explode on a daily basis with how much we love her! She is the best tiny human I could ever ask for! Love you Punkin! Happy 2nd Birthday!