Birthdays!

Yike, it's been almost 6 months since I last posted an update!  I've been using my iPhone a lot for pictures lately and posting updates to instagram and facebook, but every now and then I do pull out the "real" camera.  I just never do anything with the pictures.  I figured it's about time. (Half of the pictures in this post are iPhone pics, because I always keep it handy... I need to keep my DSLR handier, because the pictures it takes are really so much better!!)

So Emi celebrated her 2nd birthday about a week ago.  We didn't do a big party this year.  I've decided I can't handle big birthday bashes for both girls every year so I'm following what my mom did... every other year is a mellow, family-only party.  I think she still enjoyed her day anyway :o)

She started out with a little painting while I made breakfast...

I made her sausages and eggs for breakfast.  She wanted nothing to do with the eggs...

After breakfast, we decided to head to the pool.  Emi is our fearless little fishie and would spend all day in the water if we let her!

On the way home, we stopped by McDonald's for one of her favorite foods... FRENCH FRIES!  (Yes, we occasionally let our kids eat junk food... don't judge :o)

After naptime, it was time for dinner and birthday cake.  Emi has a little obsession with monkeys, so I made her a monkey cake.

I think she liked it.

She really loved the birthday song and blowing out the candles this year.

 

We kept the presents small this year. (We already have too much stuff!)  She's on a mommies and babies kick right now and she LOVES stuffed animals, so we got her a mommy and baby dog and a singing dog card.

Our sweet neighbors came over for cake and brought Emi a present too... a ball and a watering can!  Emi loves watering the plants so she was super excited when she opened the gift.

I wish I would have had the neighbors take a picture of the whole fam but i didn't think about it till they were gone.

Since I never posted the pics from Gigi's last birthday, I figured I should share those too :o) 

Gigi turned 4 in October, and she wanted to go to the happiest place on earth... Disneyland!

Doesn't Gigi look so happy to be at Disneyland?! ;o)

Technically this was Gigi's year for a family party, but we planned a special surprise for her...

A visit from her best friend from Utah, Suzy!

Emi really wanted Suzy's cool Sebastian toy

Suzy's mom used to work for Disney, so she knew all about how to ensure a little girl has an unfortgettable time at Disneyland on her birthday... like lunch with the princesses at Ariel's Grotto!

A few of Suzy's neighbors were there for the party too!

I'm so grateful Megan told us about Ariel's Grotto and made reservations for us... the food was delicious and the chance for the girls to meet all the princesses was priceless!!  After lunch, they even brought Gigi a birthday cake and sang to her...

Now I have just four and a half months to plan Gigi's next birthday bash!  Can't believe my baby is almost 5!!