Happy Second Birthday!!

At first you measure their age in days.  Then weeks.  Months.  And now, years.  Yes, years...  the time, it is a-flyin'.  And the kids are now officially two years old!!  They rang in their big day feeling sick (boo!) but they rallied well.   We did a small family celebration with a caterpillar theme.  Last year's party was duck-themed.  Because at the time they looooved some ducks!  This year, they didn't have a favorite book (they love all books) or tv show (really they only watch a few select dvds in the car), so no favorite characters yet.  But they do love caterpillars!  Looking for them, watching them and talking about them.  So caterpillars it was!  My dad was coerced into creating their happy birthday balloon banner (caterpillar style of course).  Can't you see how much he enjoyed it ; )

The food included some mini cheese ball caterpillars with crackers, grape caterpillars, roly-poly sandwich spirals, Cheetoh-twists, veggies straws, caterpillar cake pops and a caterpillar made of cupcakes.  It's really amazing what a few pre-made eyes and some antennae can do!!

\

The kids did great with all the extra excitement, even though their eyes told the real story.  Poor Addison (who had the worst of it by then) didn't even want to eat any of her birthday food : (  But thankfully, they both had lots of fun opening up and exploring all their new loot.  There was an awesome playhouse wall-hanging which was oohed and ahhhed over by everyone, some cute new sprinklers, an inflatable water table fountain, a 3-in-1 baby changer/feeding table/crib, soft twin baby dolls, a twin stroller, a ride-on John Deere tractor, and a toy chest full of little things like flashlights, tub toys, and dress up items.  Here's a quick look at our little explorers in action...

Aside from the kids being sick, the day really did turn out great.  First of all, no one touched their candles this year (we all breathed a big sigh of relief when the candles were out)!  Also, we had tons of fun watching the kids discovering balloons for the first time and watching them play with their cards from Grammy and Grampy.

And last, but most certainly not least, was watching the grandpas put their heads and hands together to assemble doll furniture : ) : )

It's hard to believe how much our family has changed in the last two years.  Life before the babies?  Beautiful.  Life after them?  Crazy-intense-lovely, times two!!  I'm so proud of all the ways they are learning and growing.  And grateful for all of the big and small ways they are changing me...  Happy Birthday Babies!!