Happy 2nd birthday, Bubs.

Two.

We originally anticipated having a big party for Brady's second birthday this year.  But as we got a little closer, I realized that having a bunch of toddler & young kiddo friends over isn't that much fun at his age.  Sharing is a major obstacle right now & I realized that having to share his toys on his birthday wouldn't go over well - and if it's HIS day, it shouldn't be stressful for HIM (even though I would have loved to have all my mama friends over!!!).  So we voted against a party, and instead invited over just a couple close friends.  The Huntingtons were the only kiddos besides Brady, and since he's lived with them and plays with them weekly - it was a safer bet against share-tantrums:)

Cora, a month younger than Brady.  It's been amazing to have a friend so close in age - they were four weeks apart exactly!  These two are like siblings.

Simple, yummy cupcakes for the boy.

I really had no idea how he would react to eight adults singing to him but he was thrilled.  He grinned, and looked from one person to the next, and sat so still while waiting to blow out his candle.  It was DARLING.

Somehow, he blew out his own candle!  So sweet!  He's a big fan of the "cup-cup" already.

I love that even though he's "big" now...he still has chubby wrists and hands.  Still has a little baby left in him & mama is so glad.

Eliot has been caught by the water gun once or twice:)  Such a sweet boy - and Brady LOVES him.  Whenever I tell him we're going to see Cora & Eliot, he repeats "Eh-Eh" a million times until we're together.  He doesn't really have a name for Cora yet, but he definitely knows his Eliot.

 Jeff & Brandi joined us...

Aunt Kate & Uncle Tanner...

And of course, the Huntingtons...

We had a simple BBQ in the backyard, and the light was so beautiful as the sun went down that I made everyone pose for pictures.  I LOVE the family ones Kate captured of us!!!  Brady was not in the mood for a photo shoot but we got a couple smiles out of him & some candid family moments as well.

 My boys.  They make my life complete.

Happy birthday Bubs!  We are so grateful for our two years with you - you have made our lives so full and so complete.  I heard a quote the other day by a new father, and it stuck with me and your Daddy so deeply: "he has messed up our lives in the most beautiful way."  It's true buddy: our lives will never be the same as they were before you became part of our family.  You have a way of making everything more meaningful, more precious, more interesting, and way more fun. Sometimes it's messy and loud and full of tears - but life with you is richer than we imagined.

We love the little person that you're becoming.  

You are independent, and a hundred times a day you point to your chest and say "Bubba!" as a way of letting us know you want to do it yourself.  You shake your head if I ask if you need help unless you just really get yourself in a bind.  Most of your tantrums come from not being allowed to do something yourself or being told "not right now."  You run EVERYWHERE.  You go to sleep easily for naps & bedtime and you sleep 11-12 hours at night still.  You sleep hard enough for us to pick you up out of your crib at 11pm and rock you without waking you up (which we do sometimes, because we can't get enough of you).  You throw everything and sometimes you get in trouble for it if it's inside, so we throw a lot of things outside on purpose.  You love the water, sand, getting dirty, but you hate bugs and cross your arms across your chest when you see one, screeching "BUH! BUH!" until I get the offender away from you.  You call animals by their sounds:  Maow=kitty, Ooof-ooof=puppy, Moo=cow, Caw-Caw=bird.  You go to bed with Roscoe the Raccoon & Maow the cat along with binks & blankie.  You gave up the daytime binky this month with only a couple days of fussing and now enjoy them in the crib only.  You're way more adaptable than I expect you to be sometimes, and giving up the bink was harder on me I think.  In the last couple weeks your speech development has exploded.  You know probably 1/2 of the alphabet by name and recognize letters everywhere.  When asked how old you are you say "Goo!"  You have started waving to EVERYONE that passes by when we're in the yard and say "hiiiiiiii" really drawn out as you open & close your little fist.  You aren't really very shy and you make yourself right at home even in new situations.  Some of my favorite words you say right now are: gank-goo (thank you), pease (please), burpee (slurpee), nah (kiss), no gank-goo (no thank you), low-loooo (love you) and that he follows every "love you" with "go-go-go!" for some reason.  We laugh so much at what he says!!  

Love you, little man.  We have a great life together.