Our Little Princess Turns 2

Princess Kate turns 2!! Here she is wearing her tiara.

Princess Kate giving royal commands...LOL Not really, she was pointing at the cake but it looks like it.

I know it is cliche, but I am constantly amazed at how time flies. What a difference a single year makes. Our baby turned 2 years old! She is so beautiful and perfect, I feel blessed to be her mother. She is a real girl now and makes me laugh every single day with so much attitude in such a tiny package. Terrible 2s here we come!Kate in Nana and Papa's yard wearing the yellow "party hat" that Nana made. Dallin freaked out when he got there because there were no "pointy hats", so Nana quickly made him one...well, then Kate HAD TO have one. So they walked around wearing these for half of the evening. LOL I think it made Kate look like a garden gnome so I took lots of pictures of her in the yard.

We opted to celebrate Kate's birthday a week early this year so that Aunt Tammy would be able to come (she is out of town for the real thing). We had a wonderful family BBQ (with chicken and sausage-Kate's favorites!) after church. We, of course, did another princess party since Kate is in love with all things pink and princess. What a girly girl! I made her a round strawberry cake and put her tiara (from last birthday) on top. My mom put some white decor on it and voila...cake fit for a princess. Her Grandpa and Grandma Kellogg sent her an AMAZING Fisher Price princess castle which we were able to set up by her cake for her to see when she first came in. Our awesome princess party table!

All of the birthday excitment really overwhelmed her because she got up to the table and looked around at everyone and started to cry. (She had just woke up from her post church in the car nap) She threw quite the tantrum, wallering and yelling and crying. It seemed like the terrible 2s wasted no time in arriving on schedule (we have had a few tastes before but the irony of this at her 2nd birthday party was just too much). I took lots of pictures of it and made her even madder. LOL Yep, I'm a mean mean mom. Kate's birthday tantrum...this is not the part on the floor kicking and screaming...this is the tormenting her with pictures part. LOL
After a while she calmed down and was ready to PARTY! It worked out great that we had the castle out because she was able to play with her castle until dinner was ready. It was sooo cute!!! It had a little princess and prince that would dance together with music and a pony that would neigh. I wanted one! LOL Kate adored it and only lets Dallin play with it every once in a while. He kept making the prince and princess dance and playing with it though every time she left the room.
Kate playing with her new princess castle. (photo on top and video on bottom!)

We had dinner next and Kate got to eat at the little table with Dallin. We put a pink table cloth on her table and had a Happy Birthday banner with pink balloons (which she was VERY excited about) over her seat. We even got her a cute lil princess plate from the dollar store and Nana and Papa got her a pretty princess tiara that we set up at her chair. Finally it was time for PRESENTS! Kate was WAY into presents. She kept saying 'presents! presents!" She did a great job at opening them and was excited about everything she got!Kate opening her gifts.

We scored big this year and got her a....FEATHER DUSTER! Random I know but she really wanted one (shout out to you Annie about the weird gifts!) It's what every 2 year old wants...well, the ones who watch a lot of CinderElmo! It was so funny because her face just LIT UP and she started dusting everyone and everything in sight. She danced around on her tiptoes saying"Dust dust dust dust!". What a cutie pie! Kate dusting Nana(top) Kate dusting daddy and Dallin (bottom)
Video of Kate on a dusting frenzy

We also got her some dress up things that she put on RIGHT AWAY, and ...her very first princess nightgown. Kate in her very first princess nightgown. Doesn't she look so big!?Kate wearing most of her gifts!

She also ended up with a way cool Little Einstein book and princess sheets from her aunt and uncles. Nana and Papa gave her a cute pair of blue princess pjs that came with a little blue ballerina skirt. She also got a beautiful wooden cradle and a new baby with clothes to change into from Nana and Papa. She was thrilled and kept making the boys tote that cradle around ALL night, taking the baby out, putting it back to bed, feeding it, dressing it, and shrieking like a banshee if her brother came NEAR it. At one point, I overheard him pleading with her "No, Kate. I'm just taking care of the baby! See! I'm checking on the baby to make sure she is ok. She was crying! I am helping!" Kate looking at her brand new cradle and baby doll. So excited! Look at her little arms! Kate giving Papa and "date do" kiss

For those who are wondering....yes, Dallin cried while Kate opened her gifts. Dallin red-faced and crying with Daddy while Kate jubilantly and obliviously opens her gifts.
It is just so hard at that age to watch someone else get so many special things all at once. Thankfully, his grandparents had a lot of foresight. He got a tool shirt and a pair of shorts from Nana and Papa and a Handy Manny talking toolbox from Grandma and Grandpa Kellogg. We made him wait to open them until the end though since it was her special day. He ADORES his toolbox and outfit. He calls the outfit his "Handy Manny outfit" and wore it for 2 days STRAIGHT before I could get him to change clothes. The toolbox has gone everywhere with us. In the car, out to play, to bed, on our walks around the block. I look pretty awesome carrying around a box full of tools with eyeballs and smiles....especially when Christopher decides to be "funny" and hits the button and they all start singing and dancing. He has been "fixing" things around the house NON-STOP since he got it and he is just so dang cute about it. He will "call" me on his pretend phone and ask me if I have anything broken. Then I will make up something about the door or the stairs of a random appliance and he will "fix" it with his tools. Sometimes he even pretends to go to the hardware store for "supplies". Coming up with things for him to "fix" keeps him busy for hours! What a cutie pie!Daddy and Dallin showing off his new Handy Manny talking toolbox. I would have liked a better picture, but he was so busy bouncing around with excitment that I was lucky to get one with him LOOKING at the camera. LOL Here is "Handy Manny" (aka Dallin) with his tools wearing his "Handy Manny clothes". In case you are wondering, the shirt says "I break it. I fix it!" I wish that was true...sigh..it is more like "I fixed it...oops, I broke it!" LOL

Finally, it was time for cake and ice cream! Kate was VERY excited. She just smiled so big and excited while we all sang to her. She kept blowing at the cake all the way across the room. Consequently, it didn't even reach her before it went out. She kept on blowing anyways...then

Video of Kate "blowing out" her birthday candle

noticed it was out and demanded it be relit. After it was relit and she blew it out, she deemed it a success, threw her arms in the air and yelled "Woo!" Everyone cracked up.Success! Kate blows out the candle (take 2) and yells "Woo!"

She is a such a blessing and just makes my heart overflow every single day. She is growing up so much every day. It seems that she is changing by leaps and bounds and every new day brings all new skills and surprises. I can't wait for the coming year!Kate eating her birthday cake. She ate it so delicately and carefully with her fork. She is so dainty. It is really a change of pace after Dallin...who still makes a mess like he eats from a trough. LOL

I love you Kate Alivia, my little princess! Happy 2nd Birthday!