Shower for Cora & Lyla

 

My friend Kristen had TWIN girls on April 15th, and I got to help host a baby shower for her at the church along with dear friends and family who all helped a TON!

Lyla and Cora were born just a little over 2 months early, so they are spending some time in the NICU.  I cannot wait to meet them!  They will be in Lucas' class.  They are only 5 weeks younger than him!

Our church staff got them their double pack 'n play:

Sandy did decorations:

Lucas slept and let me get set-up!

Kristen's mom and my mom created this:

Yay for diapers!!!

Mike came to help take everything home!

Aleah's 2nd Birthday

 Aleah seemed to understand her birthday this year and got really excited for it.  She said she wanted a "mouse bert-day," meaning a Minnie Mouse birthday!  Before her birthday, it was so fun to ask her how old she was.  Before you could even finish the sentence, she'd hold up one finger and say "one" so cutely.  Now she says, "I two."  I love it.

Her first party was with the Downing side at our house.  Due to having a newborn and a very busy week, I bought the cake for this party.  She loved it.

 Her present from Papa Steve (with some help from mommy) was a Minnie Mouse car!  How fun!

 The aunts and cousins got Aleah a Minnie Mouse chair and lots of clothes.

Her next party was with the Sudlow side.  Grandma Teresa hosted everyone at her house for a birthday bash!

 The cake was a team effort between me and mom.  

She baked; I decorated (quickly... with a fussy baby and a broken icing tube).  

 A rare treat was having her Great Grandpa and Grandma in town from Florida, so they got to celebrate with us!  My Grandpa and I share a birthday so we have lots of pictures of us blowing out the candles together when I was little.  I thought this was fun!

The present Aleah really wanted this birthday was "puppy pies" (Puppy Surprise).  She saw it on TV and told Grandma Teresa about it, so that's what she and Papa got her.  It's a mama puppy with baby puppies in her tummy.

A very special birthday gift was this Minnie Mouse outfit from her Great Uncle Art and Great Aunt Linda.  We had lunch with Aunt Linda a few weeks before Aleah's birthday, and she asked about what Aleah might like for her birthday.  After talking, Aunt Linda chose and ordered this outfit for her.  I still can't believe that by the time of Aleah's birthday just a couple of weeks later, she was no longer with us.  This will always be a treasured gift.  I plan to keep it forever.  

 On Aleah's actual birthday, we went to Champaign and had lunch with daddy at Za's.  She is definitely at that "exhausting to take to restaurants" age.  Oh boy!

We also went to the mall to ride the carousel.  She was actually terrified at first but loved it in the end and wanted to go again!

 We also checked out the mall playground:

 That night was busy with Jacob's kindergarten orientation, but we did put some candles in a cookie and sang to her:

 Her final celebration was with the Gurtlers.  We had cake and a yummy lunch and lots of fun.

 She got a Minnie Mouse toy, a new swimsuit, and a new oak toybox.  She really liked her mouse.  She kept walking around the house saying, "That my mouse, that my mouse!"

Our New Two Year Old

I loved the "terrible twos" with Hannah and Jacob.  I didn't think they were terrible at all!  I think kids are pretty darn cute at that age.  So I don't think I forgot how adorable two year olds are, but I might have forgotten how exhausting they are!  Making messes, testing boundaries, and being adorable are Aleah's current life missions.  As my mom and dad say, "It's a good thing she's so cute...."

Aleah's first pigtails:

Aleah started calling us, "Uh-mommy" and "Uh-daddy."  I was wondering if this is because we sometimes call her "Leah" and sometimes "Aleah."  Haha!  I wonder if she's confused.  She says, "Hannah" really well; she also sometimes calls her "Dehan."  I don't know why.  She calls Jacob "Cubbie" which is so cute; we've all started doing it! 

Hannah and Aleah are really close

We had the toddler bed in Aleah's room for a few days to see what she thought, but she still wanted her crib.  It's actually probably for the best because she doesn't climb out yet.  The crib sets a good boundary for naptime and bedtime!  Eventually Lucas will need it though.... 

Aleah got every Easter basket at Meijer on her arm while I wasn't looking.  

She was carrying over a dozen of them!

Did I mention that she gets into everything?  She gets into my kitchen cabinets a lot.  One day she wanted pancakes....

She still loves her paci.  Her doctor said we didn't need to worry about taking it away until she's 3, but I hope to ditch it sooner.  For a long time, she called it her "uh-do."  Again, I have no idea why.  Now she says, "Paci, where are you?"  Josh started that.  I started, "Big girl, paci all gone!"  Haha, it's a work in progress!

Playdate with Madelyn and Trinity:

How can you say no to that face?

She's been enjoying ice cream cones!

She had this outfit as a baby and I loved it so much, I had to buy another!

She has managed to get into the nail polish more times than I can count:

Also my mascara...

And my lip gloss.... Think she's a girly girl?

Aleah started praying on her own before her 2nd birthday.  I love to see her just beginning to grow in her faith!  Daddy does a good time with bedtime devotions with the kids when mommy is wiped out.

Oh Aleah, how we love you.  You are so cute.  And exhausting.  I really can't keep up with you and your messes right now.  But you are a great girl, full of personality and curiosity.  And I wouldn't trade you for the world.