Birthday Bash

I have some pictures to share from Charlotte's birthday party, but I think I better explain a couple things first.

Charlotte is obsessed with shoes. The moment she wakes up in the morning, she finds a pair to wear. If she finds someone else's shoes on the floor at our house she will try them on. Then she usually takes them to their rightful owner. It's a strange and endearing habit. I will show this post to her future husband one day as an explanation for why he might as well plan for her to hog all the closet space. "Listen dude", I'll say, "We didn't raise her to expect you to buy the shoes, but you might as well get used to them. Shoes are this girl's love language."

So for her birthday cake I decided to make her a flip flop cake (for an explanation on my strange birthday cake hang-up, see this post). Primarily because the girl loves her shoes, but also because it was way easier than Elmo or Dora or anything else with a face. So, that's the story on the cake.

The day before the party, Charlotte tripped going up some stairs on a playground, and got a lovely purple bruise on her face. So, that's the story on why she looks battered in all these pictures you're about to see.

In spite of the bruise and a runny nose and the psychotic mosquitoes that chased us inside, it was a great day. I said this on Caroline's birthday and it's true for Charlotte too that all of our family just really "gets" her. Every gift she got was so fun, and both girls have been loving having new stuff to play with.

On to the pictorial....

I love this picture of Caroline and Jason's Grandma. Later in the day they had a very interesting conversation about dentures. Caroline's been asking random people ever since the party if their teeth come out like her Great Grandma's do. Ah...Memories.

Here's that same Great Grandma after Caroline talked her into getting into the "jumper". Even after two shoulder replacement surgeries, this woman is up for anything.

Here she is with Charlotte at dinner, and that is wine she's drinking (Great Grandma, not Charlotte). When I asked if she wanted a glass with supper, she said, "Well, why not? I'm not driving." Indeed.

Little Miss Two with her candles.

Enlisting Sis for a little help with the candles. Caroline was DYING to blow them out, but she did wait for Charlotte to give it a few tries by herself.

I wish it was still appropriate to grab a handful of frosting at my age. I would totally do it.

A birthday kiss, proof that sometimes love hurts.

The four of us. You'll notice in this picture that Caroline has changed into her flower girl dress with the new princess apron that Go-Go made for her. It was the outfit she chose for her "performance" earlier in the evening. Because nothing says "Happy Birthday Little Sister" like a little improv song and dance.

And one more picture from Charlotte's actual birthday. Jason brought home balloons and party hats, and Charlotte got candles in her pancake supper. She wanted nothing to do with the hat, but as soon as she saw one on her sister's head, she tried to take it. I think that pretty much sums up the essence of being two!