Levi's 2nd Birthday Party!!

Levi's 2nd Birthday Party!!

We celebrated Levi's 2nd birthday this last weekend even though he doesn't turn two until Thursday.  I've been so excited to throw this party because I knew he'd love it.  And he did!!  Levi has loved 'e-i-e-i-o' for quite some time.  He loves Old McDonald anything!  He now has many more interests, but hasn't grown tired of farm things.

I saw these balloon animals on Pinterest.  Let's just say...not so easy to make.  So, out of the five shown on pinterest, I managed two.  It works right?

My oh so talented hubby made this chocolate, from scratch, barn cake.  It might have taken him all day, but I call it a success!

I've always wanted to add little signs to food items but always run out of time.  Finally got some made!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each kiddo received a hat, duck, and farm animal tattoo as their favor.  I wish I would have captured the kids with their hats on.  But...no.

I found this cow on Amazon.  It was definitely a hit!!  Who needs a real animal when you have a cool balloon animal?  Ha!

Of course Levi just wanted to bull doze it down.

As for games....I found two that I thought would work for a two year old's party.  The pink balloons are 'pigs' that escape from their pig pen.  I 'timed' them to see how fast they could all put the 'pigs' back in their pen.  This was a quick activity but Levi and the other kids seemed to enjoy it.

This was Levi's expression as everyone sang Happy Birthday to him.

For a kid that LOVES candles/fire, he had a rather serious face going on here.  But he did manage to blow out the candle by himself.

This kiddo loves his sugar....like his parents.  :/

We are so so so very grateful for all of our friends that could make it!!

The other activity I planned was basically just an egg hunt.  I told the kids that some chickens laid eggs all over the back yard and I needed their help to find them all.  Who doesn't like a good egg hunt?  Honestly, Levi was not very good at this.  I kept finding myself wanting to show him where they all were hidden.  And hidden is used lightly.....they were basically just everywhere.

Levi received so many great gifts...books, tool set, dublo blocks, train blocks, bulldozer, excavator(or something like that), puzzles.

Me and my almost two year old!!

Josh's parents(Granna and Papa) were able to come down and join the festivities.  I could not have pulled this party off without their help! 

Nora pretty much slept through the party, but I had to include a picture of the two.  Sweet siblings!

Levi was attempting to 'read' Nora his book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all enjoy visits from Granna and Papa.

Levi, we love you more than you will ever know!  We love your fun, sweet, and inquisitive little personality.  We are the ones blessed to get to love, care and parent you.  Happy birthday sweet boy!!

Nora's first month and a half of life

Our dearest sweet Nora.  We love you more than life itself!  You are sweet, spunky and beautiful.  We are beyond blessed to have you as our daughter.

 Nora absolutely hates tummy time!  Even though she looks absolutely precious here.  :D

 Nora wore newborn clothes for about the first two months of life.  

 I thought all babies liked to sleep on their tummies.  I was determined to let Nora sleep on her tummy some....but this little darling will. not. do. it.  She wakes up very quickly and very angry if I attempt to get her to sleep on her tummy.  So she is swaddled every single time she sleeps unless we are traveling.  She is also getting a flat head because of this.  I try to rotate her from side to side in her rock 'n play, but usually she wiggles around enough to lay flat on her back.  Crazy girl!  For someone so little she has quite an opinion about things.  :D

 Nora hates her car seat as well.  She cries/fusses almost the entire time in there, unless we are traveling on the highway.  This makes for one worn out mommy by the time we arrive at our destination.  

Levi thought Nora needed all of his 'extra' pacifiers.  Such a sweet big brother....most of the time.  ;)

 My mom gave Nora her first several sponge baths.  So so so thankful for my mom's help, love, and emotional support.  

Nora was not a fan for quite a while.  She finally decided it wasn't too bad when she got to bath with big brother and be entertained by him.

 Nora stayed in newborn diapers for about a month and a half.

She likes her paci only sometimes, but ends up spitting it out pretty quickly.  This adds to my stress at night and in the car.  I just want the paci to sooth her, but most of the time she wants nothing to do with it.  

 She has the most precious button nose, tiny mouth, and big brown eyes ever....if I do say so myself.  I realize I'm biased, but I think she is just perfect....spunk and all!  :D

 We took Nora to her pediatrician, Dr. Sawyer, at one week, two weeks, one month and two months.  Yes....I know....a lot.  She's gotten a clean bill of health every time.  That in itself is such a huge blessing!!  

Born:

6 pounds 4.9 ounces

19 inches

33 cm head

1 month:

8 pounds 10 oz (31%)

21 inches (41%)

2 months:

10 lbs 7 oz (38%)

22 inches (34)

 This sweet girl loves loves loves to be held and cuddled!

 The sweet ladies from my women's bible study threw Nora an impromptu baby shower right when we brought her home.  We received so many things!!  Such a blessing!!

 Life will forever be very different for our family with this sweet little one's arrival.

 Maybe a little jealous?  Levi was a bit jealous/extra clingy that first week of bringing Nora home.  But he was just pretty much excited to have a real baby home all the time!  He always was wanting to hold Nora....in her chair.  He does really well with her most of the time.  I only see his mischievous side come out when he is getting tired and cranky.

 The first month was an absolute blur.  My mom was in town the first week.  Josh's parents came in town the second week.  We traveled to Amarillo and Wichita Falls for Christmas celebration.  It was a lot...but good!

 Josh's mom(aka Granna) made this sweet hat for Nora.

 Josh is much more of a natural this time around.  He acts like a pro!  :D

 I ventured out on our first walk when Nora was about a month old.  She did great!

 This is my life now....one baby in the moby or bjorn and one baby on my hip.  Actually Levi has finally adjusted to walking beside me for the most part.

 Loving on sister!

 Papa got some cuddle time with Nora as well.

 This was when we visited Amarillo.  Love my sis!

 Merry Christmas as a family of four!!

 Superbaby!

 As Nora has gotten older and older, her little brown eyes have gotten wider and wider.  Love it!

 So on a real note....adjusting from one to two babes was much harder than I was anticipating.  I would never ever trade Miss Nora or the timing of when we brought her home.  But....two kids has been way way way harder than one for me!  Thankfully for God, my Rock, and sweet and helpful family and friends...I began to adjust to the new normal.  I get way less accomplished in a day....if anything except keeping the kids alive.  I have come to realize I am far more selfish, prideful and quick tempered than I ever used to admit.  I have to lay down my plan for the day, goals, and wants often.  The nights.  Oh the nights.  Ugly Anja comes out and I beg God for grace upon grace to lovingly rock my sweet girl back to sleep...again.  But it's crazy...there are these precious moments throughout the day that make parenting the best job in the world!!  But it does not erase all the hard.  My mom gets to hear this all the time from me...."Parenting is so much harder than I ever could have anticipated, but it is also so much sweeter than I ever could have wished."

 We enjoyed watching Josh's brother Jared marry Deb in January.

Sweet sweet moments.  Love my babies!  

Thank You Lord for choosing us to parent these two precious children.  Thank You for using them to bring me to a new end of myself...showing me even a greater need for You.