Happy Birthday Lydia

Lydia turned 2 this month, and she's such a cute 2 year old. She has just started making great sentences with her words - "It's mine!" "I want juice please, Mommy!" "I don't want to!" "Watch me, Mommy!" "I want that" "I'll do it... self!" "I did it!". It's so cute to hear these thoughts come out of her mouth.

She is also becoming a great peacemaker. If anybody is grumpy she walks over to give a hug or try to distract them. She is never reluctant to say "sorry" and give the requisite hug if she hurts Elise or breaks a rule ("Only color on paper" is our biggest rule lately).

She seems very naturally resilient. When she gets hurt, falling down or bumping into walls mostly, she is very good at just brushing it off and moving on. If she's coughing or crying or anything like that and we ask "Are you okay?" the answer is always a nodded "Yes" even if she's clearly not ok. She almost never specifies the site of an owie or how it happened, she just wants to be comforted for a minute and forget about it.

Lydia's favorite things to do are read books, color, dance, and sing songs. She loves stuffed animals, baby dolls, and blankies. Most mornings when she wakes up, she gathers up every blanket and stuffed animal in her bed and, with her arms full, tries to come climb up into my bed. It's so cute.

Anyway, for her second birthday party we had a ducky theme (because she just loves her duck!).

The invitation (inspired by one I saw online):

Here is the cake I made (again, not my original design):

Duck cupcakes (say that 10x fast):

Getting ready to blow out the candles:

Roaaar, I'm the frosting monster!