Baby B's Birthday

On November 8, our sweet Baby B (well, no longer baby--but toddler B) turned 2!

She woke up to balloons in her bedroom and the living room...which she was pretty happy about. :)

She kept saying "Balloon!" "Hooray!"

She loved seeing the balloons on the window above our dining table and kept pointing them out throughout the day too.

 

 Having a birthday breakfast of cinnamon roll (which she devoured), strawberries, and bacon--yum!

After breakfast we played, watched a movie, and snuggled on the couch, then dropped Grace off at Grammy and Poppy Reed's house so Bethany and I could go on a birthday lunch date.

Grammy and Poppy Holloway had sent Bethany a gift card to McDonalds, so we picked up a Happy Meal then headed to the mall so she could play at her favorite play place after lunch.

She was lovin this juice box!

Her and Grace always run around this place in a happy frenzy.

 

On the way back to Grammy and Poppy's, we stopped at a party store and picked out a balloon (because "Nothin says special like colored balloons")! Bethany is really in to colors right now, so we thought this was a good choice. :) The girls had fun dragging it around the house.

We stayed at Grammy and Poppy's to play for a little while...

 

 then headed home for nap time (and so I could finish decorating the birthday cookies). I felt a little untraditional doing birthday cookies, but some of Bethany's favorite treats these days are sugar cookies, frosting, and M'n'M's, so we rolled with it anyway. ;)

 

 After nap time, we went to Olive Garden with Grammy and Poppy for birthday dinner (the site of B's favorite pizza).

Mmm...Olive Garden...

After our yummy dinner, we came back home for presents and cookies.

Doing the Holloway tradition of "heavy hangs" (she ran away after this shot...)

Opening her present from Grammy and Poppy (of finger paints, a smock, and paper). I see lots of fun messes in our future.

And her first present from mom and dad: a magna doodle and Little People board book (which she spent several minutes looking at, oblivious to more presents to be opened).

At this point, Grammy and Poppy Holloway called to wish Bethany a Happy Birthday, so we skyped with them through the rest of the present opening.

Opening up another present--some new clothes--with dad:

And her Fisher Price dog...

 

which she gave several  hugs to (she loved it--score!) 

And finally her last--and favorite--present of all: a baby doll set (that included a high chair, stroller, and pack n play):

Lovin' her new toys!

 

This is what she wanted to do pretty much the rest of the night, and what she's done NUMEROUS times every day since. I think it's safe to say that we hit the nail on the head with her presents this year (which makes this momma so happy)!

Then it was cookie time (on our You are Special plate of course)!

Being sung "Happy Birthday" to:

Blowing out the candles (I LOVE her face here!):

Getting a little help from dad on the second candle:

Diggin in, starting with the M&M's:

At 2, Bethany loves dogs, teddy bears, her blanket (which already has several holes in it), books, colors, numbers, doing puzzles, blowing and popping bubbles, bubble baths, wearing socks and shoes (anyones), playing outside, going on walks, walking through the leaves, pushing strollers and grocery carts, swinging, fruit (especially raspberries, strawberries, and apples), cheese sticks, "talking on the phone", when daddy comes home from work, coloring, climbing, jumping, playing with Grammy and Poppy, and playdough/moondough. She is becoming very friendly (often saying hi to strangers and animals), is a great sharer, likes to make Grace feel better when she's sad, is very concerned about anyone's "owies," loves to tackle and wrestle Grace, loves to run and play "upset the fruit basket", is learning to social laugh, and has the softest, sweetest cheeks on earth. She's a (mostly) quiet, low-maintenance, sweetheart, who is talking more and more and whose cute personality is coming out more and more too.
Happy birthday big girl (aka babes, sweet sweets, little miss, baby B, love, lovies)! We love you and are so glad you're a part of our family!