Nell's Second Birthday

Back in May, Nell turned two years old.  This momentous occasion didn't get blogged sooner because, well, we had a six-day-old in the house at the time.  It turns out that if your due-in-late-April baby is almost two weeks late, you can end up with a May baby with a birthday awfully close to that firstborn. Does this mean I get to throw joint birthday parties in the future?  Or alternate years between the kiddos?  The options for slacking off here abound!

On Nell's birthday, Ree had a checkup at the doctor's office, and Nathan was free, so the whole family went.  {Good thing, too, because a certain someone melted down during the doctor's visit and needed to be carried outside.  The second set of parental hands was much appreciated!}  After the appointment, we decided to stop at Panera and get Nell a ... birthday bagel?  Because that's a thing, right?  Chocolate chip, to be precise.

I think she liked it.

Ree thought that was too boring for a birthday celebration, soooo...

The next day we had a pizza dinner celebration -- complete with cake and ice cream, of course -- with family and Nell's godparents.  My Mom was out visiting (she came for a week after Ree was born), so she was here for the birthday... two-year-old drama and tantrums and all.  I'm sure she wouldn't have missed all that for the world!

Yes, to tell the truth, Nell's second birthday probably wasn't her favorite day of life on the planet thus far.  With a brand new baby in the house, I think her world felt like it had been turned quite unfairly upside-down on her, and she didn't quite know what to make of it.  Sure, this new baby was cute and fun to have around, but wait -- she's staying?  Forever?  That takes a little bit of adjusting to, I guess.

Still, the day had its bright moments and little joys.

Like a new baby doll, dubbed Annie, from Mom and Dad, complete with a handmade velcro diaper and beautifully sewn baby doll quilt from Grandma.

Homemade pizza topped with one of Nell's favorite foods -- olives!

Snuggles and books with much-loved people like her godparents, playing with her little buddy Ian, and reading with her soon-to-be Aunt, Hannah:

And presents!  I think she didn't really know why these incredible toys kept coming her way, but she sure liked it.  I loved seeing the excitement on her face that day, much needed after a few rough days at home transitioning to life as a big sister.

A toy house with doorbells, keys, and little residents from Hannah's family...

And for the girl who wakes up every day enthusiastically asking if we get to go somewhere in "Mommy car!!!", a little car of her very own from Nathan's side of the family.  She was ohsoveryexcited; she climbed right in and didn't want to get out, not even for cake and ice cream.

And yes, I did manage to make a cake, thanks to having my Mom around to help and hold the baby.

Okay, so it's not going to win any awards, but it tasted good.  Really good.  {Prevent-you-from-losing-baby-weight good, even.}

And that was Nell's second birthday.  Not exactly on the scale of last year's first birthday party, but celebrated with every bit as much love... and a little more exhaustion thrown into the mix, because having a new baby will do that to you.

We love you, Nell, our favorite two-year-old in all the world.