Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Ella!!!! I can hardly believe it but my baby is now 2!! She was so excited all last week with all the birthday party talk going on! She told everybody that it was her birthday and that she was going to be 2 months old (not sure where she got the months from but we finally got her to say just 2 :) She talked about her party and would say that her friends were coming to eat happy cake! She even sang Happy Birthday to herself! On Saturday, we spent all day running around getting ready for the party and Ella was not about to give in and take a nap. She said she was "SOOO excited!" Finally, Mimi suggested that we go for a ride. So we rode around until Ella fell asleep. But as soon as we got home and tried to get her out of the car seat, she woke up and it was wide open from then on! We had so much fun at Ella's party at The Little Gym! The little ones wore themselves out running and playing. I wish I had just a little bit of all that energy!! Ella is a lucky little girl to have so many friends and family there to celebrate her 2nd birthday! It was a special day spent with very special people!!! We want to thank everyone for coming and for all the great gifts!! Now, we're going to need a bigger house for all the new toys!

Just hanging out!

Crawford & Ella going "swish, swish, swish" with the parachute

Parachute Fun!

I think the Air Track was a hit! There were little ones flying every which way! Even some of the big kids had fun (Daddy especially!)

Bubbles and Balls...can it get any better than that for a 2 year old?!

Choo-choo...it's the birthday train! Ella led everyone to the party room from the gym for pizza and cake! Let's PARTY!!!

PARTY TIME!

Ella piggin' out on her "pizzie"

Madalyn & Gracie

Ella wasn't sure what to think of everyone singing to her at first. She has the funniest look on her face!

I just LOVE all these cupcake faces!!!!

Ella got some awesome presents!!! I can't wait to play with them...I mean she can't wait to play with them :)

Crawford picking out his party favors! Bubbles and Balls...some of Ella's favorite toys!

I still can't believe that Ella is already TWO! These past two years have been so much fun! But they haven't been without their challenges either! She has taught us so much about patience, love, and understanding! Our hearts are so full of love they could burst! We're definately looking forward to the "TERRIFIC TWOS!!!!!" :)

Tonight we went to see my cousin Lucas play baseball for Post 29, our local Legion team. Ella loved yelling "Go Lucas!" and "Go Boys Go!" Despite Ella's best efforts to cheer them to victory, it didn't quite work in their favor. Hopefully next game will be better! Lucas did an AWESOME job and we are so proud of him!!! GO LUCAS GO!!!!!

Instead of peanuts and Cracker Jack's we had OREOS :)

And so far, we've had NO major melt-downs! YET!!! Since Ella will be 2 this week, we thought it was finally time to give up the paci. So...how did we do it??? Ella has been helping Mimi watch over a nest full of baby birds the last couple days from her sun room. Ella could hear the baby birds chirping and we told her that they needed a paci while their Mommy went to get them something to eat. We persuaded her to give all her pacifiers to the baby birds so they could all have one. She agreed and just like that we hid them. Last night, she asked for her "paci" and then again this morning, but we told her that the baby birds needed them and she didn't say anything else about it. So maybe (fingers crossed!) the birds get to keep the pacifiers!! And I'll have a 2 year old that is paci-free :) I hope the next 24 hours go by as easily as the first!!

For the most part, I'm excited about getting rid of the pacifiers, but part of me is so sad at the same time! I think it's the last thing (other than diapers...wow! potty training...that's a whole other post!) that still reminds me of Ella being a baby! Here are some "Paci Pics" I found in honor of the pacifiers that have gotten us through many church services, quiet dinners, sleepless nights, and major melt-down moments!

Ella and I want to wish Da-Da a very Happy Father's Day!! Thank you for being such a great father to Ella! Watching you with Ella makes me fall that much more in love with you everyday! Although you can be a little stubborn sometimes, we don't know what we would do without you! Haha...just kidding! :) We hope you enjoy your new lawn mower and grass stripping kit. Now I won't be able to keep you out of the yard!

We also want to wish our Dads a Happy Father's Day! Thank you for all you've done for us!!! We wouldn't be where we are today or who we are today without the unconditional love and support you've given us!! We are so blessed!!

Cory made a slideshow for me for Mother's Day and I had to steal his idea! It was my favorite Mother's Day gift ever and I wanted him to have a slideshow too :) We love you!!!

After church, we went to the pool for a cook-out to celebrate Father's Day! Ella LOVES the "swimmy pool" and begs to go all the time! I think by the end of summer she'll be swimming like a little fish!

Woooo...it's cold at first!

Ella showing off her swimming skills! She's definately got the kicking part down!

Paw-Paw Sanford shared some of his twinkie with Ella. Normally she doesn't want to get out of the pool to eat, but like any girl, she'll do just about anything for chocolate :)

Daddy decided to use the noodle as a hose to spray everybody. Ella loved it!

You may have noticed that Ella has on 2 different bathing suits in these pictures...well, let's just say we had not 1 but 2 accidents today. Luckily, neither of them were while she was in the pool! Next time we'll have to remember to take the Lil' Swimmers with us!

the Turbie Twist!

Tonight while Daddy was at a meeting, Ella and I enjoyed a nice relaxing bath! Ella found my Turbie Twist in the cabinet and tried putting it on her head. So not only is the Turbie Twist great for adults but also kids :) I think I'm going to have to order Ella her very own!

On Saturday afternoon, we went to a graduation pool party for my cousin Brad. He graduated from high school last week! Congratulations Brad...we are so proud of you!!!

Maw-Maw, Brad (with his swimming trunks and grad gown...haha!), & Paw-Paw

Uncle Dave (The Grill Master)

After a delicious hamburger, we had homemade ice cream, cake, and banana splits! Sprinkles and all!! It was so good! Ella actually got out of the pool long enough to eat some ice cream.

Ella is definately a little water bug! She LOVES the "swimmy pool!" She cried and cried when we finally got her little wrinkled up body and purple lips out of the pool! I know where we're going to be spending a lot of time this summer!!

Madalyn dressed up in Brad's hat