The Party

I  decided to keep TT's birthday party fairly small.  2 year olds can be a bit unpredictable, and I remember for Nur's 2nd birthday (I probably remember because it wasn't that long ago!) that he didn't react well to guests and was more overwhelmed than anything.  I wanted to avoid that this time around, so T and I kept the invite list to immediate family only.  Our parents and siblings and their kids.  It really was the perfect size.  AND. . . it's been way too hot to sit outside in MN lately, and our house is small, so all of these factors played into it as well.
We really prepped TT hard for her party.  We talked about it a lot, and although she had no clue what was really going on, we tried to explain that people would be coming over to see her, that she would get to eat cake and open presents, and that she must be very sweet to everyone and say thank you for the gifts.  I literally engrained this in her head for 2 days straight.

Her party was Saturday at 3pm, and here is the cake I got her.

Unfortunately the cake suffered a bit of a casualty.  I went early Saturday morning to pick the cake up, and then I put it in the fridge.  Well. . . my TT now can open the fridge, so she lifted the cake out because she wanted cake.  Oh well. . . not worth stressing about a lopsided cake! ;)

When guests started showing up, TT would scream through the window from excitement.  She then greeted guests at the door with the biggest hugs ever.  This is just SO not TT.  She takes a long while to open up to people.  It was fun to see her so excited and really understanding that everyone was here to see her. 

T and I went the easy route and ordered a 6 foot sub and had other appetizers.  People ate and visited and then we opened presents.  TT was really into that this year.  She'd hold it up and say, "Wow."  She even did a fairly good job thanking people.  It was more like yelling across the room without making eye contact, but it's a start. 

The best was when my mom came in with a very large gift.  TT started yelling, "Oh my goodness!" "Oh my goodness!"  I didn't even know the child knew that phrase!  She was gifted with an art easel, and she thinks it's the best thing ever.

After opening her wonderful gifts, I placed TT in a chair and we all sang happy birthday to her.  When I was a child, I would cry when people would sing to me.  It intimidated me that everyone was looking at me and singing.  I hated it.  Well, my daughter may not look like me, but she acts like me.  Half way through, her bottom lip came out, and she just sobbed.  Poor thing was scared.  She quickly recovered and ate her cake. :)

After cake, the kids all played.  TT and Nur both adore their cousins, and played so well with them.  They all had a GREAT time.





As the party was wrapping up, TT came and sat on my lap and said, "Love you Mama."  Melted my heart.  I feel very grateful that my kids have so many people in their lives that love them.  It was a great second birthday filled with memories to last a lifetime.