Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Monkeying Around- Birthday Party Style

Aidan had the best 2nd birthday party this past weekend. Thanks so much to our wonderful family and friends for celebrating with us! Enjoy these highlights from the big night.

Banana Cupcakes for all the little monkeys

Favors- Monkeys with Jelly Belly Capes
"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."


Aidan wanted Pops to carry him around for a good part of the night.

A little stunned and/or embarrassed at the 30 person birthday serenade!
Blew out his 2nd birthday candle like a champ!

Forget the singing- I get a cupcake with cookies on it!

"Cheeeeese" with Mommy and Daddy

Happiest birthday boy ever.

Pappy looks hungry- I better share with him.

Baby Leah slept through a majority of the party, so she wins the biggest party pooper award! :o)

Riley, Jack, Aidan and Chase played us several lovely tunes throughout the evening.
Aidan loved jamming with his buddies.

Present time!

Gaga, Kathy, Erin and Elise in their front-row present seats. Aidan loves when he gets to see his family from the Lehigh Valley.
In true monkey fashion, Aidan immediately climbed his new basketball hoop.

I don't think this is exactly what Alli and Mandy had in mind when they bought it for him!
Well of course this game is supposed to be ridden like a horsey!

Checking out his super cool Pumas from John and Nicole.

The monkey theme was obviously dead on. :)
Gaga tried very hard to properly teach Aidan how to ride his new pedal hot rod from Grandma and Grandpa!

As usual, Aidan ends up at the beer cooler with his buds at the end of the night.
After everyone went home, Aidan enjoyed some late night partying with his aunts from the city that never sleeps.

No better way to end the evening than with a kiss to Mandy through his new band in the box/astronaut helmet. :O)

Happy Birthday to our baby

"Two-year-olds give the biggest hugs, flash the biggest smiles, and yes, throw the loudest, most spectacular tantrums. Because they live in the moment, their feelings are especially transparent."

This is an excerpt from a recent BabyCenter email I received on 2 year olds... and it is so true. I spend so much of my time trying to teach our young man... how to share, how to throw his binkie back in the crib, how to talk, etc. As a parent of course I feel it is my responsibility to teach him how to be a good person and live the best life he can in this crazy world. But this article made me realize how I need to take the time to actually learn from HIM. Aidan doesn't know how how to worry or stress, how NOT to live in the moment.. how not to communicate exactly what he is feeling.. In the purest and rawest sense, he practices authenticity every moment of every day.

Today is his birthday- the 2 year anniversary of when I pushed him (for 2.5 hours...) into this world! May today not only be a happy day for him, but a day where we all try to act more like 2 year olds in our own lives. :)




Birthday party post coming soon!