We're 2!!!!

Callia and Maia are officially two years old and are acquiring new skills by the minute! We had two small parties for them this year...the first for just local family and the second for some friends we often play with. For the "friends" party we did a lion and giraffe theme since these are their favorite animals right now. I stayed up until midnight the night before the party to bake and decorate this cake and although I was really happy with how it came out, I vowed to just buy one already baked and frosted so that all I would need to do is decorate it next year. My mom used to make and decorate my birthday cakes and I hope to continue this tradition because it was very special for me growing up. Callie & Maia thoroughly enjoyed their friends who came and I think the kids had a blast with the various activities we had going on.

Callia & Maia enjoying their lion and giraffe cake

Maia always finding new places to climb

Peek-a-boo through the ball tent

Our family party (which actually happened first) was so much fun, especially since the girls had all their grandparents to help them celebrate. GG & Granddad were here from NJ and Two Papas was here from VT. Let's just say Maia & Callia got a tremendous amount of grandparent attention! This party's theme was summer and watermelon (hence the watermelon cake). I also made this one and was extremely thrilled to include the flavor of watermelon! Maia actually saw the cake and said "wa wa melon, no seeds" since we usually say that about the black seeds. In this case, the "seeds" were mini chocolate chips so we told her it was ok. We all loved being able to celebrate this special day with some of our relatives - we are so lucky to have such a great family!

We loved our balloons!

Maia is so funny and loving. She gives amazing hugs and kisses but usually only to me and Daddy. Maia has never been afraid to tell us what she needs or wants so her two year old behavior has not changed much, other than a bit of whining. We are practicing using her big girl words instead....

Maia has to keep moving all the time. She is so physically strong and has taught herself to do so many things. She can pedal on her little tricycle down the driveway and stop when she is picking up speed. She has also been practicing climbing some bigger structures at the playground, which makes me a little nervous but she does it with care and perseverance. Maia loves to do things herself and has learned to buckle herself into the carseat and high chair. She can also put on her shoes and sometimes even her clothes! Maia is so proud of herself when she sings "Rain, Rain Go Away" and when ever she does something a big kid can do.



Callia is a very loving sweet girl, who has decided to now be 2. She is developing so many new skills including new language, walking up and down the stairs by herself and imaginative play with her dolls or Fisher Price Little People. Callie, who used to be agreeable all the time, has started becoming more independent and assertive to tell us what she wants. We see this as a good thing since her sister can be quite assertive and we want Callia to let Maia know what she wants too.

Callia's favorite thing to do right now is play with Little People as she creates all of these scenarios with them and narrates what she is doing as she is playing. She still loves to read and will sit to listen to long books being read to her. She is very skilled at holding a crayon or marker and draws amazing pictures using many colors and filling up the pages with mostly circles and spirals. Sometimes she even labels what they are like "apple" or "kitty". ANother one of Callie's very favorite things to do is dance to music. All I have to do is put on a Sesame Street CD and she will drop whatever she is doing to start dancing to it. She knows which songs come next and is starting to sing with them. This makes me especially proud since she has a hearing loss in one ear but is finding joy in music. We will be taking a music and movement class in the Fall and I think we will all love it!