Party Time.

We celebrated the big two today, although Ellie's birthday is Monday.

A little sleepy by the time we got to cake.

There will be more about this on Monday, but I cannot believe the difference in year one and year two. Year one involved surgeries and fear.  Year two involved a lot more throwing food, yelling "no," giving hugs and kisses, laughing, frustration, writing on the walls with carrots, and other toddler-esque moments.  (Oh, and eye surgery, which it turns out, is no biggie.)

This year's party involved over fifteen children (both with and without Down syndrome) playing in our small home.  Laughing.  Needing naps.  Eating cupcakes.  Walking.  Crawling.  Eating more cupcakes.

The party had a farm theme, because when I asked Ellie what she wanted for her party, she told me, "Moo!"  I won't buy her a cow, but I was happy to make cow cupcakes and cake pops.

Cakepops with pink M&M, candy eyes, and chocolate and white chocolate chips for ears.  Spots drawn with food marker.  You can get the supplies at a craft store like AC Moore or Michaels.

Pigs were made the same way as the cows, but the ears are slices of the same candy melts I used for dipping.  Little polka dot pails from the Target dollar section.

Cows, chicks, and pigs.  Cow and pig snouts are a full circle of candy melt.  So are cow ears.  All used candy eyes, and I used jellybeans for everything else.

I am so grateful for the friends who were able to join us to celebrate our little one today.  Here's to a lifetime of celebration.

The spread.

The goofy little birthday girl.