Jovie's Birthday

Jovie is 2!!  It seems like she was born yesterday, yet, it also feels like we've had her forever.  Make sense?  Not really, but then again, completely.  Confused?  Anyway, we had a great time celebrating her birthday with all of the Bjorn side of the fam.

Here is how I spent all of my free time the day before and day of her party.  It looks time consuming, right?  Well, it is more time consuming that it even looks.  I may just recommend not doing it unless you're very ambitious and have a lot of free time, or perhaps just plan better than me, and don't have a four month old to take care of in addition.

Here is what it looked like before we dove into it.  The frosting is a white chocolate buttercream.  But the real surprise was on the inside which no one knew about until we cut into it.  Those balls on top are supposed to look like bubbles.  You blow up little balloons, dip them in a gelatin and water mixture, and let them dry.  This process also takes forever and can get pretty messy.  We had made some fondant circles to put on the side but the frosting dried faster than I thought it would and they just fell off.  I was pretty distraught since I had a vision of exactly what it would look like and now all that time I had spent on the cake would look like I had spent ten minutes.  Sigh.  Well, I just decided I wouldn't worry myself about it.  But one thing is for sure, our kitchen was a disaster after that...and that's putting it nicely.

Bubble wrap for place mats and streamers for a table runner.

Eying the cake.

We had been practicing how to blow out a candle all week.  And it's a good thing because she would have had no idea how to do it if we didn't.  But she was pro by her birthday.  Now she loves her new talent and will try to blow and kind of crumb or small object she can find.  Even if this means getting down on the kitchen floor.  She's so talented.

She's so proud.  This was actually the second time we lit the candle.  The fist time one of her cousins blew it out.  Can you blame her?  Just too much excitement!

The big reveal!  Rainbow cake!  I made everyone wait to eat the cake until I had taken a sufficient amount of pictures. Sorry guys.  I spent so much time on this dang cake I just had to.

Jovie loved all of her presents.  The backpack, shoes, and books were all given to her.  She just couldn't resist.

All the girl cousins getting close to see Jovie's new potty!  We've been using this to help her understand potty training. 

Then the real fun began.  Candy!!!  This is a tradition in our family.  Or at least it will be.  Even Kell got me (or I might have told him to get me) a pinata for my birthday a few years ago (although I don't think the pictures ever made it to the blog).  And we're definitely getting one for all the kids birthdays.  Of course, being the candy lover that I am this would be the only logical decision.

She couldn't get enough.

And again.

Just hangin' with great grandma.  I looked over once and watched them and it was as if they were having some long casual conversation.  The best.

Then we opened some more birthday presents at home from just us.

She is obsessed with books!

We had a gift card to Toys r Us so we picked up this beast.  It took a while to fold all those boxes.  I remember playing with those in kindergarten all the time.  They were the best.

We are so lucky to have this little girl in our lives.  What an awesome thing to be able to have your own children.  I didn't want any children before I got prego with her.  Really.  It was not appealing to me in the least.  I've never been one of those sappy people that love babies.  But now, well, I still don't really like kids...except for my own!  It's just different when they're yours.  Heavenly Father sure knew what he was doing when he created families.  I'm so grateful that I can be with them forever!