Riley's 2nd Birthday Recap: Part II

Decorating for Riley's party was fun and simple.  I made the birthday banner with some fun fabric and letters I printed off on iron-on paper.  We of course had the cake and then bought about a dozen helium balloons and just grouped them around the table area.  It was colorful and pretty inexpensive to make our little patio area a bit more festive!

(We also covered all the tables with blank newsprint, purchased for a couple bucks from our local newspaper.  They cut off the ends when printing and sell them for super cheap!  I also used left over fabric as table runners.)

We invited our family and some friends.  Below is three generations!  Jamie's Grandma, Jamie's Mom and Hadassah!

Chowing down on party snacks - fruit kabobs , crackers and cheese and pepperoni rolls (all made by our moms!).  For drinks we had iced-tea, lemonade and apple juice.

Cora and Riley!  I hope they grow up to be great friends!

The "agenda" was really simple.  Eat, play, gifts, cake, more play!  Simple, manageable and memorable.

All the cousins!

Devon holding Damion, Riley, Sophia holding Hadassah and Cora

Opening...                                                                                                   ... gifts!

Possibly Riley's favorite gift - a guitar!  Jamie and I got him this.  :)

Cake time!

Think he enjoyed it?

For favors Jamie helped me make these little blank books out of card stock weight scrap booking paper, printer paper and twine.  I ordered the monkey pencils, suckers and Animal Hands tattoos from this fabulous on-line store, The Stubby Pencil Studio.

The next five pictures crack me up!  Jamie was assembling a helicopter Riley had received.  I love how all the boys are enthralled and gathered round.  The second picture makes one think Jamie is just goofing off, but the fifth picture (notice his lips? - he's totally making a sound effect!) reveals he is just as into it as the little boys!

Sophia was so cute and spent her own money to get Riley some birthday gifts at a garage sale.  She did a great job picking out items she knew he would love:  a shirt with cars on it, a little tigger stuffed animal (which he totally sleeps with now and carries around with him), and... these B0b the Builder boots - which, he insists on wearing everywhere!

So, that was the party.  I think it is safe to say that our little guy had a good time, and hopefully all of our guests did too.  Some things I'm so glad I did was let our moms help with food.  I also loved our simple favors and loved having the party outside!  I wish I'd had more time to decorate the cake (hello - crooked strings anyone?).  But, really, considering all, I am so happy with how things turned out and overall it was a stress-free party!!!

Riley's 2nd Birthday Recap: Part I

Riley opening some gifts he got in the mail from his Great-Grandma Marie.
I love his little tongue sticking out!

~ Riley's Birthday Banner coming together ~

Aunt Jeni and Uncle David came earlier in the day on Saturday because
they wouldn't be able to stay for the party.  Cora got to stay though!
Riley LOVED the trucks/tractors he received from them!!!

The Guitar Cake...

This cake gave me many challenges.  The frosting I made was dairy free and was SO runny it was just dripping all over.  Then those strings...  Those last two, well, obviously they didn't turn out too straight.  :)  Oh well, Riley loved it and it tasted yummy.  I will work on my piping skills for next time.   

It's Party Time!!!
Come back tomorrow for Part II!

Happy Birthday to my Boy

Birth Day

August 28, 2008

Dear Riley,  Two years ago I met you.  You were such a special miracle for Daddy and Mommy.
After losing four babies to miscarriage, one being your twin, Jeremiah, you were our first child to be born to us
since your sister, Sophia, almost four years prior.  Holding you in my arms was magical.
God had chosen to let Daddy and me hold you, kiss you, protect you, raise you.
I am forever grateful.

Almost One Year Old

August 27, 2009

Your first year of life was so fun.  You were a great baby!  You loved to nurse and you were a pretty great sleeper.
You didn't like teething so much, and suffered through quite a few nasty ear infections - but, overall, you were a
healthy, happy baby.  Though you were super happy, you were stoic and serious too!  One had to work hard to earn
your smiles!  :)  You loved trying to figure out how things worked and how to take things apart.  You loved discovering books!  

Almost Two Years Old

August 8, 2010

Your second year of life has been full of ups and downs.  Of course, the more you become a toddler,
the more you exert your will, the more Mommy and Daddy have to teach and guide you to make good choices,
and discipline you when you make bad choices.  But, for every moment spent in frustration, you make
up for it by giving us about a million joyful moments!  In this second year of life, you have come to love dancing,
love trucks, cars, planes - okay, anything with wheels that move!, guitars, music, reading, your pacis, your big sister and your little sister, your cousin Cora, dogs, running and climbing, tools and "fixing," and just recently you've learned how
to burzert and get quite a kick out of doing that to Mommy and Daddy!
In the last month or so of you being one your vocabulary has really started to explode and we are so enjoying
hearing you speak new words almost every day!  The best word you finally learned about 2 months ago was "Mom!"
The biggest struggle of the past year was discovering your allergy to milk protein and most likely some other foods.
We have learned, for the most part, what you can and cannot eat and have your allergy mostly under control.
You still suffer symptoms now and again, so we will continue to work with doctors to figure out just what all is bothering you!  The hardest part of all of this is knowing it causes you pain and discomfort.  I also feel sad
that you can't do some things that most kids get to do, i.e. eat pizza, go out for ice-cream, etc...
But, God is good and thankfully Mommy likes to cook and bake so I can make you plenty of yummy treats!

Riley, today we are celebrating YOU turning TWO!!!  I cannot believe this time has come.  We will be having a fun party with a guitar shaped cake and all!  I love you Riley.  I adore having you as my son and pray for you each day.
One of my favorite parts of you is that you carry my Grandpa's name as your own and each time your name is said,
my Grandpa, your Great-Grandpa - who held you and loved you, well, his legacy lives on.

Happy Birthday sweet Boy!

All my love,
Mommy

Being a sibling

See these two monkeys?  They decided to take a break from arguing yesterday and got up on the couch together and spread a blanket over themselves and just - wait for it - got along!  Yes, they were watching a video, but seeing them at total peace, laying side-by-side, was such a breath of fresh air!  These two are siblings to the max.  They love each other hard, and they also argue hard!  I totally get it - I'm a sibling too, and I remember the growing up years.  Some years my sister and I were best of friends, and other years, not so much.  I think a big part of this is that some years our age difference (3 years) just felt so much bigger than it was, and other years (like now!) it just didn't matter so much.  So, even though I can get frustrated at the bickering and picking and whining and arguing... I rest in the hope that some day, these two (and their baby sister of course!) will hit a stage where the bickering will end and the friendship will thrive!  Just like my sister and me!

Jeni (3 y.o.) & me (4 mos.)
Can you say Cora and Haddie??

Oh yeah, sporting the braces and bangs and oversized shirts.  Lovely.  :)
Me (about 13) & Jeni (about 16) and of course, Grandpa!

Still sporting the bangs - and turtle necks under sweater and denim shirt!
This was Christmas 1995 - I think!
If that is true, I am 15 and Jeni is almost 18.

I am thankful that Jeni and I are so close now.  Aside from Jamie, she is my best friend.  I am sure there were years our parents thought we'd never get along - but look at us now!

:)

Playing Dress-up

This morning Sophia wanted to play dress-up.  

Dressed up and ready to play.

She created her outfit and brought one out for me to wear.  We even both had hats.  Well, Riley just looked up at me and stared with a cute, crooked grin, once I was dressed up.  He saw my hat and started repeating his favorite new word, "Haaaat."  So, I let him wear my hat.  Then, he started tugging at my dress-up clothes.  I asked him if he'd like to have something to dress up in and he said, "Yes!"  So, I complied!  :)

        

Here he is!

"Peek-a-boo

Mom!"

:)