Aubrey Lane turns TWO!

It's amazing to me that I am posting about Aubrey Lane turning two when it seems like just yesterday that I shared with you my heartache for more babies.  Then a very short time later I got to share my exciting pregnancy news with you; and you all prayed fervently with me as we held our breath and waited for nine months to pass....

Then the baby arrived.

A daughter.

She was more beautiful, more healthy, more perfect than could ever be imagined.  The Lord answered our prayers above and beyond our desires and expectations.

It's hard to believe that the same little profile in that sonogram picture, the same little crying newborn in her daddy's arms on her way to meet me is already two.

But she is.

And she is two in every way.

She talks constantly. Her most popular phrase is "What's this?"  She loves to name her body parts and tell you what sounds all the animals make and name people she knows.  

She is possessive, so everything belongs to someone.  Everything is "Mommy's", "Daddy's",  "Ju-Jude's", or "mine's".   It drives me a little crazy but we are working on it.

She is very smart.  She knows her letters and can name them when she sees them written.  She loves to carry around her daddy's clock and count on it.  And it's impossible to list her current vocabulary because it's so vast.  However, I think that all Mommy's think that their kids are brilliant.

Her personality is sooooo girly.  She loves jewelry and shoes and dresses.  In fact, at her birthday party she received some earrings from her aunt and cousins and her response when she saw them was an exaggerated "Oh my goodness!"  

And just like any little girl should be, at least in public, Aubrey Lane is very polite and uses her manners.  She says thank you whenever given something and whenever she passes someone she says excuse me.  Little ladies get such a kick out of her when she does that in the store.  She also loves responsibility.  She is so eager to help with anything... Putting away clothes, picking up her toys, throwing things away, etc... 

I have to remind myself of all these sweet and wonderful things when she is in the middle of a temper tantrum.  She is in the throws of the wonderful "terrible twos", so we get a lot of crying, refusing to eat what we fix, refusing to wear the clothes we pick out... well, you get the picture.

But I love every stage of motherhood.  Even the ones where I have to leave the house in tears because we are super late for an appointment thanks to potty training and temper tantrums.

To celebrate Aubrey Lane's big day, we had a watermelon themed birthday party.  I ordered the most adorable pillowcase dress that looks like a watermelon slice. 

 My best friend came over a few nights before and helped me with some party decorations.  We made fabric scrap bunting and cut outcupcake wrappers and pinwheel templates for the cupcake toppers.  

I followed my sweet friend, Beth's, tutorial for making the cupcake toppers.  You can see it by clicking here.

We used the same bottles from her party last year that I decorated with baker's twine and paper straws, as well as the lemonade stand to hold the presents.  I also made a watermelon slice pennant banner from pink burlap, green and black acrylic paint, and jute twine.

After we sang happy birthday, everyone changed into their swimsuits and played in the backyard with a couple of kiddie water toys and snack on fresh watermelon.  All the kiddos lined up and let Lane slide them down the slip and slide.  It was a cute little sight to see.

Everyone had fun; Aubrey Lane felt special; it was a great day. Watching her grow this past year has been the thrill of a lifetime. I am sure her third year will be just as exciting.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Aubrey Lane!