2nd Birthday Paw-ty.

This weekend, we celebrated with some of our favorite people.

We decided that we are going to try to avoid "character" parties as long as we can. 

So we thought about what she really likes: Puppies and Purple

So the Purple Puppy Paw-ty was created. 

Luckily, the weather cooperated and we were able to set up outside.

We asked Reyna who she would like to have come to the house to play with her and 

she requester her favorite friends by name. 

We had 10 kids, and 14 adults.

 We had Pup-eroni Pizza, Pawsta Salad, Kibble-n-bits (chex mix), Pup corn, Pawtato chips, 

Pupcakes, etc. served in these dollar store dog bowls.

My sister made this cute board like she did last year.

We pulled out all the toys we already had, including the Puppy pool.

 We had a bubble machine, soccer goal, a water table, a basketball hoop, a hula hoop

 My sister made this cute dog house, too!

 We had to have a pinata!

The last activity on their way out was a Puppy Adoption Station. 

They picked a puppy. Wrote his name on his dog tag, filled out a certificate of adoption, and took a crate to take him/her home. 

This went better than I thought it would.

It was so fun to see what names they chose.

We had a Ken, Shawn, and a Bubbles!

A Happy Birthday song.

 and so many sweet gifts from her friends.

She was one happy girl!

We are now in the "terrific twos".

(I'm choosing to be optimistic ;) )

TWO.

My girl is TWO today.

It feels like I've known her forever. 

That's probably because I have always wanted her. 

She is literally what my dreams were made of. 

 BUT,

There is more to a little girl than what her mother sees. 

There is more to a little girl than what her father dreams.

Inside every little girl lies a heart that beats.

and sometimes it screams, refusing to take defeat.

And sometimes her father's dreams aren't big enough, 

and sometimes her mother's visions aren't long enough. 

And sometimes the little girl has to dream her own dreams and break through the clouds with her own sunbeams. 

Love you, big girl!

April celebrations.

This weekend was a whirlwind of celebrations. 

We celebrated three birthdays in four days! 

We ate lots of sugar, opened lots of presents, and played a lot outside.

 I got to go on a trail run. I miss those trails.

 We celebrated this little lady a little early with cake and fajitas, and lots of presents.

 There was a park visit, yoga instruction, lunch out, dinner out, cupcakes, cake, popcorn, ice cream sundaes, farmers markets, Magnolia, SPICE, a cookout, McKinney cousins, church, neighbors, and trail runs. 

We packed in all we could into those few days, and we enjoyed every minute.

Happy Birthday, Papa Bear.

Today we celebrate you, Papa Bear!

Every day is an adventure with you.

Here's to another year of more.

More cake. 

More good runs. 

More good coffee. 

More sleep ;). 

More puffy tacos. 

More sightseeing. 

More farmers markets. 

More bike rides.

 More dancing. 

More mowing. 

More netflix. 

More (leisure) reading.

 More music. 

More podcasts.
More kisses.

 More sharing. 

More walks down the driveway. 

More wildflowers. 

More kayaking.
More of the hugging game.

More Minnesota. 

More bubbles. 

More of you!!

Afterschool Adventures.

Everyday after school, Reyna and I go on an "adventure".
This has become our normal and I like it on multiple levels. 

For one, when we are at home, I am most of her entertainment or she like to include me in it which I LOVE. But, when we are home from 2-7:30, that's a lot of time. Also, it allows her to use up energy. AND , she gets to hang out with play dates or make new friends. 

She seems to like the after school adventures which she usually gets the chance to decide. 

Most days, the options are:
-the park
- the museum
- the zoo
- the bookstore
- the pet store

Every now and then, something special comes up:
- a baseball game
- farmers market (tuesdays)
- toy store (target)
- baylor events

The most recent event on Baylor was Diadeloso - Day of the Bear.

There are no classes and instead, Baylor puts on activities and events for students to celebrate being a Baylor student. 

This year, this included: a rollerskating rink, camel rides, a sloth, zip lining, food trucks, free lunch, dance competitions, tug-o-war, and a kids zone. 

Thats where we were yesterday and the girl, loved it!

Eating ice cream. 

 In the jump house.

 a REAL plane.

 camel rides in the distance.

 More bouncing.

 Visiting the bears.

"Dia" 2016. It's good to be a bear.

23 months.

This girl turned 23 months last week.

With all the hoopla of Easter, I'm late posting but we cannot forget her last month as a ONE YEAR OLD!

 

Things I want to remember about Reyna at 23 months:

she is very independent - she likes to wash dishes! - loves her big mickey mouse - likes to jump on the bed - has outgrown her favorite pj's but still squeezes into them - knows the museum by heart - knows all her colors, shapes, and alphabet - sings songs - makes funny faces - loves to paint - loves bubbles - wants to brush her teeth 5 times a day - like the color purple - likes the hula hoop - swings on the big girls swing.

She is talking up a storm in full sentences and vivid description and we LOVE it!

She is funny and she knows it. 

Easter 2016.

We had a pretty low key, memory filled Easter. 

Everything was new, and exciting. 

 (warning: this post contains picture overload)

We painted egg for the first time. 

This is me telling her to put it in GENTLY.

 This is her THROWING it in.

 She was so excited to find that the egg had turned color EVERYTIME!

 The kit has stickers in it to make faces on the eggs and that was a hit. 

She is making her funny face to match here.

On Saturday morning we went to an Easter Egg Hunt at a friends house and celebrated with all these kiddos!

Also, the host has a 3 year old and a 3 WEEK OLD BABY!

 She hunted those eggs so hard!

Then we sat and opened every.single.one.

 

What a cutie!

 making silly faces at the camera...again.

Thanks Papa!

On Easter we went to church and played with the Easter Bunny toys. 

She liked her basket and still asks for eggs every morning. 

Overall, it was a great celebration and refreshing weekend.

Easter basket 2016.

I've mentioned this before. I LOVE holidays. I love traditions.

Easter is beautiful for so many reasons. the weather. the eggs. the colors. 

the reason. the bunny. the basket.

All of it is great.

I had a good time finding Easter basket fillers.

I'll admit it is hard not buying every cute thing you see!

I know this may be unimportant but its a parenting thing so here it goes.

I have been very intentional about including things that are meaningful and no too consumer-y. 

(Like a Frozen book about Easter or an Elmo Easter basket)

Also, tried to include things that she needs or I was gonna buy anyways.

This is what I came up with.

The Pinwheel and bunny were 50% off at Hobby Lobby.

Frida Kahlo book is beautiful and my favorite artist (I was gonna buy it anyway)

The bowl set is from Target (need)

The other stuff is just fun!

Of course, we have eggs. I filled them without candy. Not because we don't let her have candy but because we know she will have enough of that.

We filled eggs with:

gold fish

stickers

pretzels

stamps

bouncy balls

bubbles

I did have a parenting fail and sent my daughter to the school Easter egg hunt without a basket.

;(

They sent me this picture from school...

 

... a target bag.

Spring Break 2016.

In one word our Spring Break was: WET.
It rained, literally, everyday.

We made our way down to San Antonio and spent time with family for a few days.
We found gaps in the rain to play outside.

 And when we couldn't get outside, we played inside. She was reallllly into bubbles. 

Our house rule is - no bubbles in the house.

Well at Nana and Popo's house, apparently there are no rules.

We made it out to the DOseum with Popo one day. 

It is a lot of fun and you could spent hours there.

 She picked up a love for Tinker Toys ;)

She spent about 30 minutes making this "sun".

 She also went to Chuck-e- cheese with Nana, the park, and the library. 

We headed home on Thursday and over the weekend, we had some sunshine so we played outside.

 She loves picking flowers in our front yard.

It was a good time and now we are back in school and hunkering down for March Madness!