Happy 2nd Birthday, Mia!

Hard to believe that our "baby" is really starting to become a little girl.  She turned 2 today.  I have SO much to say about her right now ... but I'll have to save that for a separate post.  This one is just focused on her little celebration from tonight.

Mommy has a new job, so Paw arrived at lunchtime to babysit and treat the birthday girl to a McDonald's lunch treat (of which I completely neglected to take any photos of .... and she then spilled her milkshake on her cute birthday girl shirt, so we may have to reenact that one).

Mommy, Daddy, Luke, Day, and Paw took our new 2 year old out to another of her favorite places for dinner:  Antipasto's.  She adores their raviolis.  I don't use the word "adore" lightly ... she really, really loves them.

After dinner we came home for some cupcakes and a few gifts.

I think it's safe to assume that the sleeping back is a hit!

Opening Luke's present to her - a playdoh ice cream shoppe

Cupcake time!

She definitely knew that it was her special day ... and loved every second of it.  She requested that we sing "Happy Birthday" more times than I can count.

Happy Birthday, sweet baby girl.  We love you more than you can imagine.  The past two years have gone far too fast.  You've brought incredible joy, laughter, love, snuggles, sass, and sweetness to our home.  Thank you for being YOU.  More celebrations to come this weekend :)

Playdoh Ice Cream Shoppe play on the following morning

Christmas Break

Well, it was our intent to spend the week following Christmas up in Tahoe enjoying the snow and skiing. However, given the lack of snow (essentially it hasn't hardly snowed at all this winter ...yet), we decided to stick close to home.  We spent one of the days visiting the Children's Discovery Museum.

Comparing weights

How many cars, trucks, people, etc. equal the weight of one Mammoth?

Learning more about the Mammoths who once lived where we live today

Wheels!

So much to look at and explore

In the ambulance cab

Blowing bubbles

And BIG bubbles

Water play

Creating energy to fly the airplane

Christmas Day 2011

We spent Christmas Day morning at home with the kids, our family, brunch, and playing with all of the new toys (both the adults and kids!).

Santa came!  Luke received his heart's desire -  a robot.

Mia's gift from Santa:  A dollhouse

Happy kids on Christmas morning exploring all that Santa brought

Great-Grammy and Great-Papa arrived in the afternoon, and we spent the evening with them up at Day & Paw's house where we enjoyed an incredible prime rib meal .. and more presents!

Christmas Day at Day & Paws' 

Luke loves his new cash register

Sweet girl opening her new LeapFrog laptop

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Christmas Eve 2011

We hosted Christmas Eve at our home this year.  It was a relatively small group: our family, Day & Paw, Todd & Michelle, and Uncle Patrick & Aunt Louisa.  Michael made an incredible cioppino meal, complete with various fish and seafood appetizers, and we had cannolis for dessert.  Perfect if you ask me!

The kids had SO much to open this year.  I suppose this was because neither of them received any "big" gifts, so they had lots of little stuff to open.  We started them off early with the presents - while we were all having cocktails and appetizers - and it didn't slow down for several hours.  They had an incredible time and ended up heading to bed before the adults even had dinner (since we were stuffed from appetizers).  This allowed Michael and I to truly enjoy our delicious meal ... and our fun-filled adult present opening!

Plasma Cars from Mommy & Daddy

 Two Buzz Lightyears are better than one ... from Day & Paw

Mia's favorite gift - a baby stroller (or a Buzz stroller)

It was a Buzz Lightyear kind of Christmas ... a new sweatshirt from Mommy

Oh, Uncle Todd and Aunt Michelle, we SO owe you when you have kids of your own.  You always pick the most fun (and noisiest or with the most small pieces) gifts! :)  Just wait!

We are so incredibly blessed to have so much and be together with one another to celebrate Christmas.   What a perfect Christmas Eve.

Cookies & Champagne Playdate

Such fun!  I love that the kids and the ladies can ALL have fun at a playdate.  Gina, Jess, and their sweet kids came over the week before Christmas to decorate cookies (and the older girls toasted to the upcoming holiday weekend).  Aidan, Bailey, Jack, Charlie, Luke, and Mia had so much fun ...and our kitchen floor showed it :), but it was so worth the mess. 

Concentrating on the perfect cookie design

Discussion over Gingerbread House design

There "might" have been some sugar consumed...

...okay, a LOT of sugar!

Are we decorating or eating?!

Such a big boy

The girls get in on the Gingerbread action too

The kids also exchanged Christmas gifts, and the dino hats seemed to be a hit!

I loved Jessica's message the next morning that she had never seen Bailey so dirty :).  Sign of a good playdate?  I think so!