Claire's Birthday, Part 2 (scroll down for part 1)

 After we enjoyed some cupcakes and ice cream, it was on to the presents!

 This time Claire was a little better at opening her presents. Here she is starting out her presents with the packages from Grandma and Grandpa Palmer!

 Claire's favorite part of the presents from G & G Palmer was the play food. She plays with them all the time every day since then!

 Here is Claire with her Pinkie Pie pony that her cousin Ansley bought with her own money! This was so sweet, I think it brought a smile to everyone's face. :) And Ansley couldn't have picked better--Pinkie Pie is Claire's favorite pony of them all!

 Here is Claire relaxing on her birthday (as is her birthday prerogative) in her new chair from Grandma & Grandpa Whitley. She loves to sit in this "seat" (as she calls it) during the day and snuggle her dollies and feed them bottles. I bet she will be a great Mommy herself someday!

 Something about presents just brings out the kid in us all, I think. :) Everyone was just as excited as Claire to see what she would open next! The playhouse that is on our back porch was from Steven and Amanda a few months ago, but they also brought her a couple of flashlights as well. :) The tiger flashlight especially has sure seen a lot of action at our house the last couple of weeks! :)

 Here is Claire with her play food from G & G Palmer. She is also in the process of opening a big package of lollipops (a present from Austin and I) that she shared with her party guests as well. What a treat! Right before this, Claire had opened up a bag of cute clothes from her Aunt Kristie and Uncle Barth. Claire said "cute!" but I think it was Mommy who drooled the most over the clothes! :)

 Like I said, Claire loves to be sweet with her little dollies. Every time she wants to give her baby a bottle, she runs up to me saying, "Mommy! Where's the binky? Baby binky!" :) I think every day she talks more and more. :)

 She also likes to feed her stuffed animals and babies whatever she is eating. In this instance, it was her lollipop.

 Claire calls the meat part of the hamburger (the pretend food) a cookie. She likes to pretend to eat it and say, "Yum, yum, yum!"

 Sometimes the mustard and ketchup bottles are used as baby bottles, too. Mustard to drink, anyone? ;)

 "This is so exciting!" says Claire. "I want to have a birthday party every day!"

 This playhouse is from Aunt Heather and Uncle Michael. This has been up since Claire's party. :) She likes to put her babies "night night" on the picnic blanket from G & G Palmer in here, and do her puzzles in here as well. :)

 Secret hide-out!

 Looks like "Queen Claire" is holding audience in her castle today. :)

 Better not forget to take a break for "lunch" though. ;)

 Can't forget the dessert! After Claire's party, she kept asking for Austin and I to sing her "Happy Birthday" with her play cupcake, and then she would blow out the candle afterwards. So cute! :)

 The girls all had fun in here, I think. :)

 "Let me show you how to feed a dolly, Grandma."

 "Never mind, I need to serve up some yummy food instead." :)

If this face is anything to go by, I'd say this was a successful party, don't you? Two years down, and many more to go! :) Happy birthday, my sweet daughter. Every day is a joy because the Lord blessed me with you. :)

Claire's 2nd Birthday, Part 1

 Claire's 2nd birthday party started out just like most any Texas summer day--hot! Fortunately we had plenty of water fun available: a slip n slide and a pool for the kiddos, and water bottles for the adults. Everyone arrived about 3 pm to start off the party! :)

 It was too hot to not get in the water at some point! Here is Claire's birthday twin, Ansley--since she is a teenager this year, she sat with the adults instead of swimming and splashing with the rest of the cousins.

 Claire absolutely LOVED playing with her cousins throughout her party! You should have HEARD all the squeals of happiness! :) Everyone went back and forth between the slip n slide, pool, and playhouse on the back porch.  It was a wonderful afternoon. :)

 Measuring out water to throw into the sink in the little playhouse.

Pierce and Liam were very sweet with Claire at her party, and Claire ate up every minute of fun! :)

  Claire especially enjoyed being the center of attention more this year. I can't believe that she is already 2 years old!!! It feels like I just brought her home yesterday from the hospital. :)

 Here is Uncle Steven and Aunt Amanda. After a little while, Austin thought to turn on the sprinklers in the backyard (which I think the kids all loved the most), but it unfortunately made Uncle Steven have to relocate from his shady spot. Almost everyone fit under Austin's new favorite porch "retreat"--complete with misters!

 I was lucky to get Grandma to take the pictures for me at the party...thanks, Momma!

 The slip n slide.

 Everyone was so nice to Claire at her party. We wish her Colorado family and her Kentucky family could have been there, too!

 After the swimming/splashing drew to a close, we had a "pin the cutie mark on the pony" game. Since this was a My Little Pony party, of course we pinned the cutie mark on Pinkie Pie (the party-loving pony)! :)

 Everyone got blindfolded, spun around, and had their chance at pinning the cutie mark. Claire was up first, since she was the birthday girl!

 Yay, Claire! She got her sticker almost right on top of the cutie mark spot on the poster.

 Unfortunately she liked the stickers so much, she wanted to rip hers off and try again. Sorry, little one!

 Everyone seemed to like the game. :)

 Liam was next, then Emberly. Both did pretty well at getting close to where the cutie mark was supposed to go...especially an amazing feat for Pierce and Liam because I'm sure they probably don't know much about things like My Little Pony. :)

 The birthday girl and her daddy. Austin and I were scurrying about during the party, trying to make sure everything went just right.

 Pierce was up next after Emberly...when he started his turn, we moved the line further back from where the younger kids started. It was funny to see them trying to find the pony poster blindfolded! :)

 Hailey was next. No peeking! :)

 Even Ansley got in on the fun. Way to go!

 After we finished the game, it was cake and ice cream time! This year I made cupcakes for everyone.

 Of course the cupcakes had pink frosting--is there any other kind?? :)

 Claire was so excited to blow out her candle. I had been singing the Happy Birthday song to her for several days prior to her party, so she would know just what to do. She couldn't wait! She had a big grin when everyone sang just for her. :)

 "Can I blow my candle out now?" Claire says.

 The fun party-goers. Hurray!

 Another year older and wiser, too...this fits Claire this year! Instead of tossing her cake for carrots, Claire decided to make the plunge, and dive right into scarfing down her cupcake. Yum, yum!

 Hailey enjoyed the cupcakes, too, I think. :)

 After the first few bites, Claire's Momma remembered that a bib might be a good idea...haha!

 Cheese! The birthday girl in all her (almost) 2 year old glory!

Happy Birthday, Claire!

 

(Part 2 coming soon...)