Chandler's 2nd BirthDAY

For Chandler (my early riser), we started off the day opening her cards from her grandparents

 Followed by snuggling on the couch next to Minnie Mouse, wearing her new Minnie Mouse necklace (that she got for her birthday and hasn't taken off in nearly 2 weeks), and watched - you guessed it - Minnie Mouse (or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse).

I really try to plan the girls birthdays doing things that they would LOVE.  

For Chandler, my girly-girl, we started the day off with pedicures!

 btw - the sunglasses were totally her idea...I don't give them to her or encourage her to wear them...it's all her!!

 I've painted her toes...friends of mine have painted her toes, but she had never actually been to a real salon to have them painted.  Of course, B and I got in on the action, too!  =)

 She also wanted to have her fingernails painted.  For both, she chose her favorite color - PINK!

 After that, we headed to Sweet and Sassy to do something Chandler has been wanting done for a long time...

We got her ears pierced!!  She wants to wear my earrings every morning and is sad when they won't stay in so we've been talking about getting them pierced and she's been ALL ABOUT IT!  When we went in to the store, she was more than thrilled to sit in the chair where they cleaned, marked and then pierced her ears.  She cried for about 40 seconds.  They offered her a sucker and the rest was history!

Brooklyn was a different story.  =)  Whenever the subject has come up, B has always said she didn't want hers pierced.  So that morning, I asked her again and to my great shock, she said, "Sure!"  When we entered the store, though, she immediately started crying because it was going to hurt.  She cried when they pierced Chan's because Chandler was hurting.  She cried when it was her turn because it was going to hurt.  Took them forever just to clean and mark her ears because she was so scared and kept covering her ears.  It took us forever to get her calmed down enough to actually pierce them.  Then she screamed even more.  Now, before you think I'm the meanest and worst mom ever, please know that I tried my hardest to talk her out of it the WHOLE TIME!!  I didn't want to do hers because I knew she was so scared, but she was determined and would cry harder when I talked about leaving before they were done.  She is VERY PROUD of them now and would be DELIGHTED to show them to you.

 After they both were finished, they offered them glitter for their face and hair.  Chandler was ALL ABOUT THAT!!  Guess what color she chose...=)

PINK!  B was too upset to participate in the glitterfest, but Chandler was in heaven!

Afterwards, we walked across the street to a playground where B finally calmed down and the girls had a blast.  We had a late lunch and headed home for naps.

After nap time, we got out some of her new craft supplies the Wyatt girls got her for her birthday.  Princess stickers and marker stamps...so up her alley.

Then after dinner, our sweet neighbors (and some of Chandler's favorite people on earth), came over to sing Happy Birthday, eat cake and watch/help her open presents.

She giggled the whole time we were singing!  Love that!

 I wish I had gotten more pictures of all the girls while they were at our house playing that night in all their princess play clothes.  So cute!

 That was pretty much the end of her actual birthday day.  But then Eddie's parents came in town that weekend for 1 more little birthday celebration!

 A few more fun and exciting gifts and one more day for her to get to celebrate her 2nd year of life with some of the people who love her the most!

Once again, Happy 2nd Birthday Chandler!!

26 Weeks Pregnant with #3

Just a quick update on Baby Gibson:

I went to Dr on Monday and his heart rate was in the 140's, which is normal.  

The girls went with me for the second time and LOVE hearing his little heartbeat.  When we got home they got out the stethoscope "doctor bag" and wanted to listen to my belly again.  

He was measuring 27 weeks and I'm 26 weeks which didn't surprise me at all.  I feel like he is bigger than my other babies were.  He is already taking up a lot of my lung space to where it is hard for me take a good deep breath.  This happened with the girls, too, but I felt like it was more towards the very end of my pregnancy.

I passed my glucose test, feel great and go back to the doctor in 3 weeks.  I'm already at the end of my second trimester and that's about all there is to report.

Chandler - Age 2

Sweet Chandler Alexis at Age 2

Stats:

Ht:  35" - 75%

Wt:  27.6 lbs - 65%

HC:  18.5" - 40%

If I had to try to describe her in just 3 words, they would be:

Verbal

Sweet

Girly

(Just having a snack in my boa, beads, bracelets and while holding my wands!)

Her Favorite Things:

Princesses

Minnie Mouse

The color "pink"

Anything sparkly

Accessories

Having her nails painted

Make-up

Snuggling

Baby Dolls

her Daddy

Peach Tea

Lo-lo's (suckers)

My Favorite Things About Her:

She's very "Go with the Flow"

She's empathetic! - When we've watched TV and someone looks frightened she will cry, say they are scared and want to give them a hug!!  So sweet!

She still loves to cuddle

She's a great sharer!!  At age 2?!?

Anytime she hears the word "pray", she loudly launches into "God is great, God is good..."  We say many other kinds of heartfelt prayers around her, but this seems to be the one that has stuck out to her

Her lisp...LOVE it when she says, "Leth Danth" (Let's Dance)

When she sleeps or lays her head down on my shoulder!!

When she says thank you, your welcome or please without being prompted

Chan's Progress in Life to Date:

Her VOCABULARY!!  Says probably 1000 words, 5-6 word sentences
Can count to 20 (skips a number here and there and sometimes gets some of the "teens" reversed)
Knows almost all of her letters and can tell you what sounds they make

goes potty on command, can keep her dry if I stay on top of her, but still isn't telling me when she needs to go.  I tried telling her that it makes her the princess on her pull-up for panties sad if she wets them, but then she wants to kiss and hug them to make it all better...gross!  Need a new plan!
Mastered use of fork and spoon
knows several of her shapes and colors

She does not have a long attention span and is surprisingly not a great shopper...doesn't like to be in the cart or a stroller...hmmmm...

She will throw fits sometimes when she doesn't get what she wants like any typical 2-year-old, but for the most part, she is about as easy and happy as a toddler can come.  Such A Joy and Blessing!!  Her only potential downfall in life is that she has not been much of a sleeper.  She will fall asleep ANYWHERE if she is still for too long, but just hasn't ever slept for long periods of time.  Like 1.5 hr naps max and only 10 hrs at night, but lately, even that has finally started to improve!!!

OK...maybe she is not really sleeping and just tricking me in this one =)

She LOVES the new baby!  She always wants to "see" him and listen to his heartbeat.  She is constantly kissing and hugging my belly.  She is going to be a great big sister...if she doesn't get too jealous.  She is such a cuddler and snuggler and used to having us all to herself because Brooklyn is NOT, that I'm not sure how she is going to feel about having to share us with someone else.  She is a great sharer, though, so I think she'll be ok as long as she can get in on it.  =)

Happy 2nd Birthday Chan-Chan!  We love every precious minute we get to spend with you!  There is nothing better in the world than kissing your cheeks and watching you dance!  Our prayer for you is that you grow to be a Godly girl, continue to empathize look out for the needs of others, and come to know the Lord in a very real and personal way!  We know he has got very special plans for you!!  

(This pic doesn't really fit into the blog anywhere, but I've been wanting to put it on because I think it's so cute and SO CHANDLER and was a great one to end this blog with!)

Chandler's Minnie Mouse Birthday Party

Love how this cake turned out!!

Notice the "2's" cut out of the minnie mouse heads on the bottom layer.  Love. It.

Party Girl in her Minnie Mouse swimsuit

Waiting for Minnie Mouse to arrive

And she did NOT disappoint!

 The girls were SOOOO excited!!

 They couldn't stop giggling and jumping.

 Chandler is especially was so in awe.  She could not believe Minnie Mouse was at her house!  She kept petting her and saying she was "so soft."  

Exactly the kind-of reaction you would dream of your children having!

This is a pic of the children at the party who were not afraid of Minnie Mouse.

There were 8 more children who wouldn't get close.  =)

One last hug before Minnie had to leave...

Minnie Mouse (Mickey) shaped chicken nuggets and hot dogs for dinner, of course

Is there anything more fun than people singing happy birthday to you?!?

No more giggling now.  It's time to get serious and eat some cake and ice cream.

Love how even the boys were wearing Minnie Mouse hats.  =)

30 minutes later...

Friends are long gone, but Chandler is at the end still going strong...same piece of cake and same little cup of ice cream...not going to waste an ounce of it!

She had a great time!!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Chandler!!

Thank you so, so, so much to Mimi and DooDad for all of your hard work at the party.  They kept everything running smoothly so that Eddie and I were able to mingle with the guests and enjoy the party with our sweet daughters.  Mom was the photographer...as guests arrived she took all of their individual pictures with Minnie.  Mom and Dad washed and cut all of the fruits and vegetables and kept them stocked as people came thru the food line.  They barely got to eat themselves!  Dad was on wasp patrol.  They completely cleaned up (with help from Eddie =)) after the party while I bathed the girls and put them down.  Seriously, they are THE BEST EVER!!  Thanks guys!!