This is a few weeks late (I’m still trying to get back on my blogger A-game) but I wanted to document what we did for baby A’s 2nd birthday a few weeks ago. I remember when E was turning 2 years old, I couldn’t help but plan a small picnic party at our local park to celebrate her 2nd year of life. We found out ON her 2nd birthday that we were pregnant with D. Then for D’s 2nd birthday, we just had a simple birthday dinner with my parents and some presents. For Baby A’s 2nd birthday, I wasn’t even going to go that far and was planning to just do dinner with our family of 5 BUT we have some friends that feel like family (framily?) and their kids adore Baby A. So we ended up doing dinner & cake with them too 🙂

The morning started off with balloons and presents. This is a tradition that I started for my kids a few years ago and I think we’ll keep doing for as long as they’re living at home.

Baby A’s birthday happened to fall on a Sunday this year so we actually didn’t get to open presents in the morning. After we woke her up, we pretty much all got dressed and rushed to eat breakfast. E loves having birthday pancakes so I thought I’d try to make some for Baby A on her birthday. They went pretty much untouched … LOL #momfail

I honestly think the BIGGEST highlight for Baby A on this day was the fact that she was finally forward facing in her car seat. Like, seriously – nothing made her as happy as this moment.

After church, we went to the mall and hung around outside/ate lunch. I’m loving this Alice & Ames outfit that she was rocking that day .. we were even featured on their Instagram with this look!

Forever daddy’s princess <3

After lunch, we came home and finally got to open some presents. The “big gift” for her this year was her own WellieWishers Ashlyn doll. She’s been showing interest in big sister’s doll/doll stuff ever since she could crawl (like, forreals) but these past few months, she’s actually been stealing the doll from E and fighting with her over it. Ashlyn is E’s FAVORITE doll out of all the ones she has so we figured we should just get Baby A her own, then everyone is happy.

SEE how happy she is?

But then… you guys. We quickly realized that Baby A didn’t just want an Ashlyn doll. She wanted THE Ashlyn doll, the one that originally belonged to big sister. Even though original Ashlyn is pretty ratty and ratched, Baby A does NOT CARE. And lucky for her, big sister E jumped at the chance too swap out her old doll for a shiny new one so … let me introduce you to Ratched Ashlyn. She looks like this and Baby A loves on her HARD.

She even loves to nap with her (which we quickly learned after this picture is a bad idea because she just plays instead of sleeps).

She got a few other presents too 😉

After presents and nap, we headed over to a local Italian place for dinner. I don’t know that Italian is Baby A’s all-time favorite food but she loves spaghetti and pizza so here we are. And thank GOODNESS for aunties who take good pictures. I handed my camera over to hubby to take video/pics while we were doing cake and he didn’t take any cute pictures of the birthday girl with her candles. But auntie did 🙂

I have such a soft spot in my heart for these two little girls that are next to/holding Baby A. We’re not related by blood at all but I really feel like they’re mine in some way LOL. And they looooove Baby A like she’s their third sister (especially the oldest girl). M1 & M2, we love you!

That wraps up our sassy little nugget’s 2nd birthday! I think it’s fair to say she had a great day.