Happy 2nd Birthday, Abby!

Sniff. My baby girl is now two. Two! When did this happen? One minute she was a little, bitty thing barely able to crawl across the floor and now she's a running, jumping, giggling, talking, toddler. This year I decided to celebrate her birth in a different manner than the people explosion of her first birthday and instead have it a family focused event. Even with the celebration being family only we still have 15 people in our tiny house. But that just meant that there was lots of chatting and laughing going on in all the main rooms of our house while everyone ate our Italian feast.

Trying to shove as much spaghetti in her mouth as possible.

The 'Akers' girls - Katie, Mom, Abby, and Haylee.

Abby kept trying to share her spaghetti with Grandma. For some reason Grandma didn't want to eat Abby's spaghetti. :-)

After sitting down to dinner we had a specially prepared cake for dessert. I was particularly proud of my endeavor as it was the first time I attempted to actually decorate a cake beyond just topping it with frosting. While the cake definitely looks as if a beginner did it, I'm still proud of making the cake all by myself. I had a lot of fun and it was special that I was making it for my own daughter. I had so much fun that I'm looking forward to next years!

Abby's birthday cake. I was giddy when I found a cake pan that matched the flowers of her birthday decor. Not too bad of a job, if I do say so myself.

Someone got super shy once everyone started to sing Happy Birthday to her.

Since Haylee's birthday was only four days earlier (February 6th) and we missed her birthday celebration as we were out of town, I thought she'd enjoy having her own Happy Birthday song and time to blow out candles. From the smiles on her face afterwards I'm glad I did this.

After smashing her cake she then started complaining about the 'uh ohs' on her hand. Yep, she's my kid!

After cake Abby opened up her presents. Oh, my goodness. If the gifts we received are evidence of people's love for her then she is very loved indeed. Abby got a buggy car to ride in, an art easel with chair, Thomas the Train books and a bath kit, a cute barn animal set, a great assortment of various books, a cabbage patch doll (which she sleeps with every night now!), college money, and a lovely handmade sweater that is just adorable. Oh, and we recycled an unopened Christmas gift and regifted it for her birthday. Hee! Best $20 I've spent on her in a long time. :-)

Abby, with Haylee's help, opening presents.

Haylee also enjoyed all the presents Abby got.

Abby thought Haylee's present (which she'd picked out herself) was fantastic! A Thomas and Train shaving/bath set. Abby loves to 'shave' her legs just like Mom does.

Lately she's been enamored with blowing her nose. So I had to capture this!

All too soon bath and bedtime arrived and family started trickling home. It was at the end of the day that everything really hit me. My baby wasn't a baby anymore (Overboard, anyone?). I didn't think that this would have bothered me so much, but frankly I had two crying bouts during the day as it just felt like time was rushing too fast past me and my baby was growing up before I was ready for her to. Nate spent this entire time teasing me on being so silly, but I think that he also was a little sad that our baby has grown up so fast. As I look over this past year I remember learning to walk, getting teeth, dropping to one nap a day, 'jumping' (motions are made but no feet leave the ground), spinning, running giggling and naked through the house, leading us by the hand to play a game, lovingly putting babies 'night night', and all the other hundreds of things that she's learned to do. I absolutely love our giggle fests and it makes my Momma's heart just grin with joy when she leans in for a kiss. I have so much enjoyed our two years together and eagerly anticipate all the marvelous and wonderful things that we'll get to experience together in the year to come. Happy birthday, baby girl! I love you!