Magical Nights of Lights

We decided to take Raleigh to Lake Lanier's Magical Nights of Lights since we thought she would enjoy all the lights. She loved all the lights and we let her ride "illegally" in our laps while there. Although she was getting to sit in the front she wanted back in her seat! Crazy girl! When we got to Santa's workshop she wouldn't have her picture made with Santa...she said, "I don't ike him." So needless to say we won't have a picture with Santa this year. I just don't see the need in scaring her and it's really not that big of a deal to us. Even though we had no picture with Santa we got a cute one in front of a pretty tree!

helping daddy drive

Melt My Heart!!

While putting up Raleigh's little Christmas tree in her room we read the book that goes along with the ornaments. It's called A Gift for Jesus and simply tells about the gift that Jesus is to us. After I read it Raleigh insisted on reading it (and has every day since). She just kept saying "baby Jesus born in house." It melted my heart when she said it! I know we still have some work to do on learning that it was a stable instead of a house, but it was so sweet!

reading her book

Shopping

While at the mall, Raleigh wanted to carry her bag. She wasn't happy to just carry it...it had to be on her shoulder! Too cute!

Party Time!

For Raleigh's 2nd birthday I wanted to do a music themed party. One, she loves music and two, I could change the word tune to "two"ne. I know...crazy, but for her first birthday we had a Winter "One"derland party so this year we had a "Two"ne party. Now I feel pressure to keep it going, but haven't thought of anything we can do next year for three. Mrs. Dana that teaches Raleigh's Kindermusik classes came to our house and did some of Raleigh's favorite Kindermusik activities with all the kids. They had a blast and it was so much fun to see them all together! I must say that I love to see Raleigh interact with her friends. After some fun music activities we had some food and presents. However Raleigh surprisingly did not eat her whole piece of cake and was too interested in her ice rather than her presents. After nap she was much more interested in the presents and I know she will enjoy playing with all her new toys. We are so glad that so many of her friends could come and share her special day with her!

Why???

Why do I do this to myself??? While wanting a child for three years I envisioned myself as the "perfect" mother. Well, we all know that was never going to happen. I guess as part of this image I was always going to make Raleigh's birthday cakes. Last year I wanted to make her first cake, did and said I wouldn't do it again. This year I got another vision of the cake I wanted for her and decided it would be easier than last year so I'd make it. Well at 2:30 last night or should I say this morning Jason and I went to bed and the cake looked NOTHING like my vision. My vision was beautiful...a rectangle cake board with a piano base (pretzel rods dipped in white and dark chocolate), a drum cake, fondant drum sticks, and maracas (rice krispie treats shaped as maracas covered in fondant). I had the pretzels dipped on Thursday, cake made and "crumb coated" Friday, maracas shaped and iced (to hold the fondant)...no problem, Jason and I would work on the fondant Friday night and get this thing done. When I finished the final layer of icing on the cake I was already disappointed as the cake was leaning despite me putting skewers in it. Jason helped me to attempt to get it looking straight with icing. After coloring the fondant and rolling it, attempting to cut it, re-rolling it, attempting to cut it, and finally re-rolling it and cutting it we made the bands to go on the cake at the top and bottom of the "drum." The bottom band was fine, but the top was not...it started sliding so we used toothpicks to hold it up and ended up using those all around to make the cake look more like a drum. Ok, put the cake in the fridge to help the icing set without the fondant falling off completely...now onto the maracas. I can laugh about this now, but not last night. I made the maracas way too big to begin with. We put the fondant on them and I had no idea how to really seal it around the maraca or how to smooth it out. I thought I could just lay it down and not worry about the seam...we'd do better on the second one. Went to fondant the second one and the same thing...horrible! This morning I decided they looked more like an ice cream cone than a maraca. Not only did they look horrible, but they were almost bigger than the drum!! So since I didn't want to use those I would just use the pretzels I had dipped for the piano...put those on the cake board and again...did not look good at all! We made the drum sticks for the drum and left it. Not the cake I had planned, but it was still sort of cute...not as cute as the snowman from last year, but still cute. Jason has informed me that I watch too many cake shows and I'm not going to make cakes like them. I have since decided that I can still be a good mom and not make Raleigh's cake...until next year!

The finished cake

The humongous maracas...or ice cream cones!!

They are as tall as the cake...3 layers! HUMONGOUS!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Raleigh!!!

Wow! Two years have come and gone so quickly! I cannot believe that this time two years ago I was holding my newborn little girl...hard to believe how quickly she has grown and changed in the past two years. I think I have been more emotional this year about her turning two than I was last year when she turned one. I got a little teary eyed today when I got the email about my "preschooler" this week! That was after I had already had a cry! You would think her getting older would get easier, but I guess it's not for me...I just don't want to miss any of her cuteness!!

When I got Raleigh up this morning I sang Happy Birthday to her and she just sat there and smiled at me! Of course it was the most beautiful smile! Then we had a yummy breakfast...pancakes, eggs, and "special" milk (aka chocolate milk). Raleigh "helped" me make some of the things we needed for her birthday party. "Helped" meaning she sat in the chair and watched me. My favorite part of the day was getting her up from nap and her singing "Jesus Loves Me!" I almost started crying again!! After her nap we headed to Athens for dinner at Rafferty's with daddy, Grandma, Papa, Nana, and Granddaddy. She enjoyed her supper...yummy croissants, hamburger (that she wasn't interested in), fruit, ice cream with chocolate syrup (she inhaled this), and 1/2 a cupcake! Our child can eat! She even wanted a banana when we got home! After dinner she enjoyed a couple presents...she had waited patiently all day without even asking to open any! What a wonderful day celebrating a wonderful little girl!!!

Moments after birth

Breakfast...Thanks to some other wonderful moms for the idea!

Ready for a birthday breakfast

Rafferty's croissants...Delicious!!

Fruit...cantaloupe and strawberries!!

The best part...ICE CREAM!!! She wouldn't put the spoon down!

Couldn't resist this funny face!

Ready to blow out the candles!

Blow...

Blow! We had so much fun watching Raleigh blow out her candles that we lit them 3 times! She was a pro!

Time to chow down...Minnie Mouse ring on hand!!

Don't pick it up...just lean over and dig in!

Yummo!!

Reading her card

Elmo!!

Oooh, what's in here??

Minnie Mouse cup!!!

Drinking from her Minnie Mouse cup...with nothing in it!

Mr. Potato Head (actually 4 of them...Mr., Mrs., and two kids)...not so sure about it

Opening one more present to end the day!

Mommy and the birthday girl!

Oooh...doctor kit! Let's hope this makes the trip to the doctor a little more bearable tomorrow!

Reminiscing...

Two years ago from today we received a call around 7:00 or 8:00 pm that our bed was ready at the hospital. We got everything ready and headed out to Northside Hospital. I was being induced on December 3rd, but they wanted me there the night before. Since I was being induced I didn't get the royal treatment of being dropped off at the door. Instead Jason had me walk from the parking garage...maybe he wanted me to walk Raleigh out...he was a little anxious to have her here. I however was not so ready. I LOVED being pregnant and didn't want it to end, but I was ready to meet our little girl also. I had no idea what all to expect or how much my life would change (of course for the better!)

I've been reminiscing a lot today about that day two years ago. I guess I'm a little sad that my baby is not a baby any more, that she's changing every day, that she's becoming more independent, and developing her own unique personality. There are so many things about that time that I never want to forget. Tomorrow is the big day...my baby will be 2!!! Is it possible to freeze time?!?!?!

Before heading to the hospital...for some reason I didn't think I was that big, but now looking back I was large and no one told me that I looked like I was pregnant in the front and back!