Happy 2nd Birthday!

Sunny days sweeping the clouds away...

Hannah and Owen have loved the Sesame Street characters since their birthday last year so we had a Sesame Street theme for their 2nd birthday party!  I was very excited about their birthday party and had fun making decorations that would make the party really special for my babies (who don't seem like babies at all anymore).  Thanks to Etsy and Pintrest once I got the inspiration for the party I was off and running.

My big girl! 

How is it that time passes so quickly?! 

Weren't you just a tiny baby in my arms?!

 

My big boy!

You've learned and grown so much in the past 2 years, but you're still my sweet cuddly baby boy!

Decorations:  We had lots of balloons (or bawoons as Hannah calls them).  I made Sesame Street character faces using paper fans and we had a banner on the fire place above where they opened gifts.  We also had Sesame Street confetti and napkins. 

Nana helped with our birthday street signs.

 These paper fans made to look like Sesame Street characters were hanging up when Hannah and Owen woke up the day of their birthday. They giggled and laughed and pointed as they came down the hall. As we ate pancakes for breakfast they would watch them spin around and say, "Where Oscar Go?" and then, "Boo, Oscar!" as the characters were either facing them or facing away. It was so cute and made the time I spent making them well worth it!

Food:

 

Kid's snack table included teddy grahams (Big Bird's Radar), Goldfish because Elmo loves his goldfish, Dorothy, fruit pouches, water, and juice boxes with Big Bird on the front.  Adults had spinach dip with pita chips as well as cheese & lunchmeat with crackers.

 

 

For the first part of the party we played outside in the inflatable jump jump (Fly with Grover) that Mommy borrowed from a friend.  We also played on the swing set and played the games that were set up outside.  Outside activities included Oscar's Trash Toss, Ernie's Duck Pond, and Writing Numbers with the Count (sidewalk chalk).  Inside we had pin the nose on Elmo.  The kids at the party had a really fun time playing with each other so we spent the first hour or so outside.  As the sun began to set we headed inside for snacks, cake & ice cream and gift opening.

 

 The birthday boy and girl try out the jump jump before everyone arrives!

 It's my party and I'll throw a fit if I want to! 
Owen got mad after we told him he couldn't open up all the prizes for Ernie's Duck Pond game.

Owen plays with his 2nd cousins Jay and Anna.

 Hannah pins Elmo's nose on.  Where does it go?

My big girl!

 Going down the slide at Hannah Owen's party is so much fun! 
Hannah and Owen's friend Avery always refers to them as a unit. 

Oscar's Trash Toss

 Owen loved this game and filled and emptied Oscar's trashcan many times during his party.

Hannah and Owen help each other with Oscar's Trash Toss.

Owen and his cousin, Wesley, play Oscar's trash toss with Wesley's Mimi.

 Ernie's Duck Pond was a big hit. 
We picked up ducks to see if there was an H, O, or 2 on the bottom.  Prizes were...crayons for H (H for Hannah), stickers for O (O for Owen), and play-doh for the number 2 (our age).

Owen checks the bottom of his duck to see what letter he got.

Owen has fun playing with his friend, McKenna.

 Party Guests Included:

 

Family: Nana, Grandad, Great Grandma Hanna & EE, Grandma & Papa, Uncle Troy, Aunt Vic, and Wesley, Jennifer, Jamey, Jay and Anna, Mema, Aunt Debra & Uncle Donald

 

Friends:  The Buffkin Family, The Parr Family, The Streeter Family, The Scott Family, our godparents, Sarah and Lee

 



Nana, Lee, Sarah, and Foxie

 

 Time for Cake: 

 

Hannah and Owen had lots of practice with the ritual of eating birthday cake since both Chris and I had our birthdays just a couple of weeks before.  They had been practicing blowing out the candles.  Their cake came from William's Bakery this year.  I made sure to give specific directions this year for two seperate Happy Birthday songs.  Hannah and Owen each got to blow out their own candle even though we only had 1 cake.

 

We had an Abby Caddabby (or Abby Daddy as Hannah calls her) and Elmo cake topper for our Sesame Street cake.

 

 

Make your wish Owen!

 

Presents:

 

Opening presents felt chaotic as usual.  It's hard to keep up with 2 opening presents at once.  Plus this year Hannah and Owen understood the concept more and wanted the toys out of the package as soon as each present was opened.  I think I opened a lot of presents while they mostly played as the toys came out of the packages.  They got many new toys that encourage interactive and imaginative play.  They got several Little People sets and have really enjoyed their zoo and animals from Mommy and Daddy and their Thanksgiving and Halloween play sets from Nana and Grandad.  They got a dress up monkey from Grandma and Papa and a Little People garage that they play with everyday too.  We got tractors and cars too which are a hit!  We've had so much fun playing with all their new toys.

 

Favors:

 

Party favors were pinwheels and Sesame Street books.

 



 



 Happy Birthday Hannah and Owen! 

You are loved so very much and bring such joy to our lives everyday!  You've amazed us with all the things you have learned to do this year.  You make us laugh and you challenge us, but most of all you fill our lives with love.  You are our special blessings.  We can't wait to see what you discover and learn next!