Owen and Emily's World: Emily's 2nd Birthday!

Well this year sure did fly on by! It's amazing to watch the changes in a child from ages one to two. Emily is now a full on toddler! She can have a complete conversation with anyone and understands everything we say to her. She can quietly sit in her room and read books out loud to herself, as well as play games with Owen. She is his shadow most of the time, though sometimes that role is switched. She refuses to take a nap unless she is driven around like Miss Daisy, which she will then pass out in the back seat. We can not transfer her to her crib without waking up and staying up either. She has begun to let go of her insecurities around new people and is quite outgoing now. A huge change from last year. She eats non stop like her brother, and likes just about everything we make for her. She is a happy girl who I can't get enough of these days! We are cherishing every minute we have with these kids. They are growing so fast already! Some days I am thankful for that, and other days I am sad.Emily and Owen must have been an old married couple in their last life I swear. They just picked up right where they left off with the love, the understanding and the bickering ; ) She says everything he says. Now he is starting to realize how annoying he can be when what he says comes right back at him from Emily. We just sit back and laugh... because we can.

We kept this birthday low key with just family. I promise I will make a bigger party when your three Emily! We have just been so busy with settling in to our new place, entertaining and doing all our normal daily jobs (raising two kids under the age of 5 included), that a big birthday party would have put me overboard. What's funny, is her big present this year (that we decided on 2 days before her birthday) were guinea pigs, which require a whole lot more time and cleaning than I had bargained for. I am in this one for at least another 4 years!

OK back to the birthday.... I was up until 1:30 in the morning wrapping her presents and baking her cupcakes. We ran out of wrapping paper so I used tissue paper (which is actually not a bad thing for a two year old to open, much easier). I didn't have the ingredients to make the frosting for her strawberry cupcakes, and I forgot the candles for her cake. We also didn't have the guinea pigs, or a thing for them yet. Adam kept reminding me that she is two and has all the love in the world and that's all that matters. Thank you for that reminder Adam, you are so right!

Once she woke up, she got to open her presents followed by her favorite breakfast of yogurt with granola and fresh blueberries and strawberries. We finally made it out of the house to the Humane Society to adopt the piggies! The girl loves dogs by the way (must be a genetic trait from me). As we left the shelter, I said to her, "Emily, are you excited we get to take home two guinea pigs?" She answered, "Emme take home doggy!" (She said it three times, each at a different time during the day). I would have loved to have gotten a dog as well, but for now, guinea pigs it is!

We adopted Lia and Mia from B.U.N.S (Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter) in Santa Barbara. It's been just over 24 hours and so far so good! They are starting to get comfortable here and the kids are totally entertained! It's making for some nice quiet time when they have to sit still and be quiet to pet them! (My ulterior motive!) Even though having one, I mean two, more things to take care of equals more stress, they are pretty stress relieving when I get to just hold one for a while and pet them. They are pretty cute and super mellow in my lap. The kids LOVE getting to feed them. What's great is they only eat healthy vegetables and fruit (as well as hay and their store bought pellets). So the kids get to see them eating things like kale, lettuce, parsley, cilantro, peppers, strawberries, etc.... That's a plus in my book!

Here is Emily on her 1st. Birthday last year. You can see she still has that same big beautiful mouth smile! ; )

Strawberry Cupcakes that Emily requested with fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting.

I didn't have Birthday candles, so she blew out a decorative candle instead! She didn't seem to mind.

Before her first bite into her cupcake, she demanded a fork. Seriously, a fork! This is our Princess.

She is also going through the same pajama wearing stage that Owen went through. She Loves her jammies, and does not want to take them off. It takes some time and convincing to get this little strong headed girl to put play clothes on, but it's possible (unlike Owen). Though I have lost the battle more than once and toke her to the store with me in her pj's. Here she is half dressed.