My Birfday! My Party!

Turning two is a really big deal.  Two means I am twice as old as I was when I was born.  And that is a lot.  My mom and dad are even older - I can't imagine what that must be like!  I decided to turn two in style, with some fun decorations, yummy food and great friends.

First I chose a theme: Polar Bear Arctic Adventure.  This was in part because I wanted to wear my awesome Uggs.  Mom said "Eskimo" wasn't PC (no Mom, I didn't think it was a compooter), and that "Inuit" was too PC (I still don't see how Inuits are compooters, Mom).  But who can find fault with cute Polar Bears?!

So from there, I began to direct my mom in the decorations:

A wreath to welcome my Arctic Explorer friends to the party!

I also directed my mom in the snacks.  White cupcakes with polar bear and Alaskan Salmon sugar cookies!

Powder sugar donuts are really snowballs, in case you were wondering

And of course I had to have cake pops!  I love my pops! 

Mom humored me, and even made the pops look like a statue!

After the house was decorated and the food was made, it was time to get dressed!  Here's the outfit I picked out.

Uggs!

Finally, my friends arrived and the party started.  We had so much fun!

Joo-we-ah (Julia) brought me balloons!

I am still not sure why my mom set my birfday cake on fire.  Not cool, Mom.  But I persevered and blew out the candles.  And then ate one bite of cake before insisting on pops instead.

I even got a birfday kiss from my boyfriend. 

After the party, I relaxed with my balloons and reflected on an excellent party.

Thanks to all my friends for coming!  I actually turn two this coming Sunday, and am really looking forward to a birfday party with my aunts, uncles and grandparents this weekend.  More details on that party (and life as a two year old) to come!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Years, everyone!  Raise your sippy of sparkling cider, and let's have a toast to 2011 and welcome in 2012!

2011 was a pretty great year.  I started to walk and turned one within a few weeks of the new year.  I played with friends as much as possible.  I visited family in many states.  I really started to show off the silly side of my personality (it's a big side!).  I swam.  I dressed up.  I was an absolutely adorable flower girl.  I went to the movies.  I watched fireworks (and tried to grab them out of the sky).  I survived a hurricane.  I went to parties.  I got my first cousin.  I picked pumpkins and dressed up for Halloween.  I found out I was going to be a big sister.  I cheered at a marathon.  I slept through Thanksgiving dinner.  I lived Christmas to the max.  I baked.  I met Santa... a few times.  And I totally loved every minute!

To celebrate such a great year, I took Mom and Dad to my friend Danny's house for New Year's Eve.  It was a blast!  I got to dress up in a pretty dress and play with friends.  Does it get better?

I took a quick nap around 9pm, so I'd be ready for the ball to drop.  I might have been a little sleepier than I imagined... because I was not thrilled when my dad came to get me just before midnight!

Thanks, 2011, for the great memories!  Can't wait to see what 2012 has to bring!

December Recap (23 months)

Laura is talking up a storm around here.  The conversations we have are hilarious.  I love listening to what she has to say!  Christmas was especially exciting for Laura, as she really experienced the holiday for the first time this year.  She loved watching the whole house (and neighborhood!) transform.

• Ooh! Pity, mommy! Lights pity! (as I put lights up on the Christmas tree)
• Oh, boy. (said like oh man or oh geez, said with great frequency)
• Laura is currently singing Twinkle Twinkle, Jingle Bells, and Rockabye Baby.  The singing is near constant.  Love it!
• She loves to wear her Baindeer yammies (reindeer jammies)
• Oh yeah! (said both as a statement like woohoo, and in recognition like alright)
• Laura learned about Baby Jesus and talks about him a lot.
• I showed Laura the Christmas card from her cousin Elizabeth and asked who it was.  Laura got all excited with a look on her face like I know this, and answered "Baby Jesus!!" Even weeks later, she says the picture is Baby Jesus every time, and then whispers "Coh-san Bit" immediately after.
• We heard a lot of "don wan is" this month, which means I don't want this (or that's not what I want)
• Laura has started calling me Cate-tin!  I think she partly does it to test out the concept of names, and partly because she sees how flustered I get.  She says "Nate" instead of "Daddy" sometimes too, but not nearly as frequently as she uses "Cate-tin" for me!
• Really likes "Soo-man" (snowmen), and wears her soo-man sweatshirt whenever she can.
• Says goodnight to the huge mural of Sesame Street's Count Von Count at school every night.  Except she says "Goodnight One!" when I correct and say his name is Count Von Count, she starts to "count" her way: two, three, two!
• At Grammy & Grampy's after Christmas, Laura took to "shopping" with her "droller" (stroller) filled with babies, purses and toys.  At one point, she looked at Grammy and said "I go shopping."  Oh, for groceries? asked Grammy.  "No." For clothes? asked Grammy. "Yes." What kind? "I don't know!" Maybe some mittens? suggested Grammy. "Yes! Bye Mammy! I love you! [blows kisses] be safe!"  She walked down the hall, then came back.  "I'm back!" What did you get? asked Grammy.  "Mittens!!"  She has been an avid shopper ever since.
• Every shopping trip involves a long series of goodbyes with Laura and every friend loaded up in the stroller.  It takes her forever to get out the door, and then she's back for another round of shopping and goodbyes! 
• Leaving Grammy and Grampy's house, Laura had a very serious goodbye with Grammy.  "I lub you, Mammy. I phone."  I phone!?  I have no idea where she gets this stuff!
• Current favorite books: The Belly Button Book (Boynton), The Little Grey Snail (a little French book), Angelina Ice Skates (Holabird), I Love You, Stinky Face (not my favorite!), and anything about a dinosaur.

I have been trying to keep a running list of Laura's hilariousness on my phone.  But I got caught up in Christmas the last week and a half of December, and have probably missed some really great words, phrases and antics.  C'est la vie!  She is keeping us on our toes, in all the best ways.

Christmas Extravaganza!

Wow. I really, really, really like Christmas.  Baby Jesus is pretty awesome.  Party dresses are pretty awesome.  Christmas trees with twinkly lights are pretty awesome.  Presents are pretty awesome.  Wrapping paper is really, really, really awesome! 

I was so lucky to see all my grandparents, aunts and uncles this Christmas.  We started in PA with that group, and then drove north to see the other group.  A lot of driving for Mom and Dad, but I was comfy in the back with Ries!  Here are some pictures from the wonderfulness that is Christmas:

LOTS of presents at Grandma and Grandpa's house!  Dad thinks nearly 200!

Showing Grandma the handprint Christmas tree I made for her.

This big one is for me!

A really BIG Catty!  Mommy Catty!

Uncle Aaron needed help with that wrapping paper.

I LOVE WRAPPING PAPER!

SANTA!!

Santa brought me the "Dora and Laura the Explorers" book!  I save Boots the Monkey!

 Here are some pictures from my Grammy and Grampy's up north:


Uncle Taylor and Julia gave me a xylophone!



Grampy (and Grammy too) read me lots of stories

TRAINS!

I love my Baby.

I'm a concert pianist in the making.

Pushing two babies in my new "droller"!

 I had so, so much fun celebrating Baby Jesus's birthday. Is it time for my birthday yet??