A time for every season...

Can it be? Are we really done with babies?!

I think it's fair to say that at the age of two, they're not really babies anymore, but toddlers. So, as of Wednesday, April 14th, we are out of the baby-stage. (I wish that meant we are out of diapers, too, but...we're not!) It's a bit bitter sweet, but it is our reality. Thankfully my sisters will be having babies soon, bringing more babies into our family!

To celebrate our sweet little girl we just spent a lot of family time together, and, on her demand, we had cake and sang "Happy Birthday," frequently throughout the day.

I didn't originally think I cared whether I had a girl or not. I really thought another boy would be just fine. But, now that I have her, I'm so thankful! They really are so different.

Elyse got a lot of dress-up clothes for her birthday - a fairy costume with wings and a magic wand, a princess dress, "high heels," several tiaras, two purses, and more. We had to run some food by to friends that afternoon and Elyse came with me - not as Elyse, but as a "fairy princess!" It was pretty cute.

I could go on and on about what a sweet, yet sassy girl she is and how she can verbalize more than her brother, sometimes, but instead, I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Here are a few from 2 years ago and then a few from her birthday, to see how she's grown.

Meeting her big brothers!

Let the festivities begin...

My sassy little 2 year old!

Ecstatic to hear MiMi and PopPop sing to her!




When she opened this "purse" from Auntie Lisa and Uncle Dan she said
it was perfect for holding her Spiderman action figure!
(She may be girlie, but she can definitely hang with the boys, too!)


"Mommy, take my picture!"

I ended up having to blow out the candles for her, as she still had un-swallowed carrots in her mouth and the candles were melting all over the cake...