My baby is 2!

It's hard for me to believe that my little baby girl is 2, but I guess I should have seen it coming six months ago since that's when her "terrible 2's" started. But really, she is just so sweet, happy, energetic, smart, curious, beautiful, loved, and so many other things. I can't believe how lucky Hubert and I got to have such a blessing in our lives, but we appreciate and cherish her every day even when she is can be stinker. For example, her new favorite thing to do is touch my extremely swollen foot and say "ew" and then laugh. Good times. But here are some pictures of her special day and I would like to thank everyone who came to her party and for their wonderful gifts and also for her grandparents and great-grandparents who live out of state but sent such wonderful gifts. She loves all of them.

These cakes are so funny because I had literally been up since 6:30 making them and they could not have looked worse, but at least they tasted good and the kids loved their individual cakes.

Jumping with her cousins Addy and Sadee

The great gift that her Grandma and Grandpa Anasco got her which we foolishly opened first and should have waited for last because she didn't want to get off.

Thank you Greatgrandpa and Greatgrandma Day!

Thank you Grandma Kami and Michele!

The apron I spent two weeks sewing with the help of my wonderful friend Cara and sadly, Ellie could not have been less interested.

About to eat cake with her cousins

Her new room unveiled to her when she got home from her party. The kitchen was our present to her, hence the apron. I guess that was lost on her.

And knowing is half the battle

After a fun day at the doctor's office where I gained an undisclosed amount of weight which was due to what my nurse referred to as "puffiness," literally running after Ellie the entire time we were in IKEA buying things for her, mind you, waking up to my ring finger being purple and in phenomenal pain, and lastly, taking Ellie to her 2 year Dr. appt. where she screamed the whole time and then got her shots, where she screamed even more, Ellie's Pediatrician recommended that I get my ring cut off and to do it today. Awesome! So here are pictures of what my finger looks like as well as the ring for any and all who think they can make it to the end of their pregnancy without taking it off. Oh, and one last thing, it was surprisingly painful.

Luckily, my jeweler can sauder (sp) my ring back together when my finger gets down to it's normal size and it will look as good as new, but I had a bit of a break down when I got into my car, only to be reassured by Hubert that yes, we are still married, but I will, for the next few months, look like an un-wed pregnant woman.

Ellie, Lagoon, and a sea of fanny packs

Yesterday, Hubert, Ellie, and I had the opportunity to go to Lagoon with Patty, Ashley, Milo, and my neice and nephews and it was surprisingly a very good time. First, let me just say that people let their freak flags fly at Lagoon which provided me with endless entertainment because being in my pregnant state I am unable to ride rides which left me sitting on many benches while Hubert went on rides with Ellie. Seriously, it's as if they thought that the dirty Motley Crue t-shirt with the cut-off sleeves they found balled up on the floor this morning was a great fashion choice. But besides people watching, the most enjoyable thing was watching my little girl go on every ride she could and loving every minute of it and asking for "another one" as soon as the ride was done. So here are some pictures to document our fun day.

Here FAVORITE ride of the day, Bulgy the Whale

Milo went on a total of three rides. He wasn't a huge fan as you can tell by his facial expression while driving the boat.

So long, farewell, and you know the rest

Well, we have made the decision to cancel our cable. I know, I know, it seems like no big deal, but when you are pregnant and the baby goes down at night, there is nothing better than lying on the couch watching meaningless television. Now, the good thing is that we can get all of the shows we love on Hulu like Rescue Me, Damages, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Colbert Report, and so on, but I'm not so sure about my guilty pleasures. So I have decided that in order for me to get over my sadness and inevitable withdrawal, I must make a list of what I will miss most because I think it will therapeutic. Please keep your judgments to a minimum.

1. The Real Housewives of Atlanta (and basically every other show on Bravo)

2. The Hills (mostly for Spencer and his flesh colored beard)

3. The Soup (Because Joel McHale is heeeelarious)

4. Ghost Adventures (The main guy is a complete dork, but I can't get enough of this stupid show)

 

5. HGTV (Because I love everything that has to do with home buying, selling, and improvement)

I'm starting to feel better.

Apparently, they're always watching

As Ellie approaches two, we have started talking to her about using her own potty because as I like to tell her, "It's Fun!" So far, she's not too receptive, but that doesn't mean she doesn't watch us like a hawk. Case and point, I caught her sitting on her potty and pretending to read a book. Now, I wish I could say that this is Hubert's doing, but sadly, it's my book she's reading. What does that tell you?

Every two years

About once every two years all of my brothers and I are able to spend about a week together and it is always so much fun. Last time Ellie was about two weeks old, Milo was 6 months old, and Lindsay was still pregnant with Jackie Day, so it was really great to see these little babies so grown and playing together. But I love being with my brothers and laughing, making fun of each other, reminiscing, and watching them physically abuse each other after throwing a ball as hard as they can at each other because someone dropped the ball in their made-up game "banana hammock." But Josh, Lindsay, and the boys were off today and Tucker left on Wednesday, so now I thought I would post some pictures of our week together, which include the 4th of July in Oakley at our Aunt Margaret's "cabin."

A pleasant surprise

As I was walking home from the park with all of my brothers, nephews, and nieces (pictures I will post later) I saw that the Young Women from my old ward had decorated my door and left cookies on my door step and it was such a great surprise. I miss those girls and the other leaders so much, even though we are still in the same neighborhood, but it was nice to see that they might miss me, too. Either that, or they couldn't think of a mutual activity and someone had leftover cutout hearts from Valentine's Day and wanted to vandalize me. Either way, it was a really nice surprise. And don't get used to pictures of me pregnant because as you can see, I'm slowly becoming an orca whale.