Kaelyn is 2

It's official! Kaelyn is 2! Can you believe it? I can! They say it goes fast and I'm sure overall, it will, but I still remember those sleepless nights all too well and the days when little missy is crabby move VERY slowly. So it's not speeding by just yet!

Since Kaelyn's birthday was ON Easter, we had a combined day! We started the weekend by going to Lincoln on Friday since Sean had the day off. We took the camper with us so we could try everything out for the camping season and make sure Kaelyn would still sleep okay in there. We got there in the morning, played for awhile, had lunch, and then I took her to the camper to nap. We built the sides up a little more so she couldn't climb out, that was getting to be an issue last year. So I put her in the bed and went back to my book. I heard her say "Uh!" and I looked up and she was peaking out the side of the tent we had created. I told her to lay down and go to sleep and then I hid elsewhere so she couldn't see me if she peaked out again. She went to sleep and slept her normal amount so it went pretty well. We played the afternoon away and had supper, played some more and then it was time for bed. She did well going to bed, she didn't cry or anything. However, she laid in that tent bed and talked until after 10pm!!! I put her in bed at like 8:15. She had a LOT to say, but at least she was happy! Then, at 4am she woke up SCREAMING her head off. A different kind of scream than normal. I think she was scared. So I ended up climbing into the bed WITH her to calm her down. She quieted down and I expected her to go back to sleep. I should have known better from past experience. She would NOT quit moving and eventually started messing with my face so I had to climb back out and let her cry for awhile. At least the cry then wasn't scared, just her normal, I don't wanna sleep cry. The next morning she slept in till 7:45 and woke up happy. She did well through her bath but was pretty cranky after that. I was pretty ready to have her take her nap, but her Uncle Jason was coming over and she needed to open presents before lunch. She wasn't really in the mood and that was a bummer because it was our only chance. Grandma gave her a card, she threw it. We opened a present for her, she stuck her butt up in the air. Not very grateful! But she got some neat things...a water table toy, an Elmo swimsuit, a wiggle worm sprinkler and a bubble gun. After lunch I was very ready for her to nap and she napped her normal amount and was in a MUCH better mood.

Once Kaelyn got up, the rest of Sean's family had arrived and the big Easter party began. First they took birthday pictures because there are TONS of people in the family with April birthdays. Then they had an outdoor Easter egg hunt. Kaelyn had fun with that and even picked up a few eggs! She got a ball as a prize, though I have no idea where that ball is now. :) Her favorite thing about the weekend, I think, was Sean and his brother Jason running their remote control cars around. She just giggled and giggled. Especially when they build a ramp later in the day and were jumping them off that. We had supper and played outside more. It was starting to sprinkle so it was time to go in, but that was hard because Kaelyn was SO enjoying the car racing! Desserts were plentiful and she and I shared one of her blonde brownies and some Buster bar ice cream dessert, which was awesome. After that, it was bedtime so I took her to the camper and threw her in her pjs and then stuck her in my car to drive home. I was simply amazed, the kid didn't fall asleep until about 5 minutes from home! We drove for over an HOUR in the DARK with NOTHING for her to do and she just sat there with her eyes open, looking around. Luckily, when we got home, she woke up when I turned the car off, but didn't make a peep when I took her out of the car and carried her in to bed.

Unfortunately, I think when Kaelyn stays up late (over an hour later than normal that night) she seems to get up earlier. She woke up BEFORE 7am on Easter morning/her birthday. Maybe she was just excited. Ha! She was in a great mood in the morning and we played for a couple of hours before she took a bath. Once she was ready for the day, she wanted to go for a ride so we headed to Pamida. That's when the drama began. She was having TOO much fun in the sporting good section with all the balls, I guess. She pooped and then it was time to head to church anyways so we needed to lour her to the car. She didn't WANT to go to the car. She apparently wasn't done playing. Commence screaming. The first time I've ever had to drag her kicking and screaming from a store! And then proceed to attempt to change her diaper in the car WITH the kicking and screaming. Not a fun experience for anyone involved. I told her we would go back to Pamida soon and play as LONG as she wants, but she probably couldn't hear me over her screaming. She calmed down in the car ride to church, though she sat in my lap and sobbed for awhile once we got there. Poor girl. On her BIRTHDAY, even!

Once we got home from church Kaelyn didn't want to go inside for lunch. She had eaten a bowl of crackers at church and probably wasn't starving to death. She just wanted to play! So I left her and Sean outside and ate something myself and then took her lunch outside to her. She ate well on the run, literally, and then wanted to go around back to the slide. I was cool with that, but it was nearing naptime so I knew it might not be the greatest experience ever. I was SO right! There's a place in our yard that Kaelyn needs help down if she doesn't want to fall. She was getting a little bit of an attitude and didn't WANT help, so she fell. Not a big fall, I'm sure it didn't even hurt with her diaper cushioning her fall anyways. But to her, it was a MAJOR deal, more out of frustration than anything. Commence second scream session of the day. It was a huge hairy deal in her world and she would NOT calm down. Eventually I had to leave her there and start to walk around front. I knew she wouldn't like that but I also knew she would follow me. She did but it wasn't pretty! Major screaming. If there were any neighbors still asleep, we woke them, trust me! I stopped and tried to carry her several times but she would resist and fall to the ground so I just kept walking. Once we got inside I wrestled her coat and shoes off and man handled her up to bed. Normally, we would cuddle, watch videos of her and rock in the chair for around 30 minutes. But birthday or not, I was NOT going to reward her behavior with ANYTHING so I plopped her into bed, threw her her ducks and shut the door. She was pretty upset for about half an hour but eventually went to sleep. At which point I took a nap as well, I was tired after all that! She slept over TWO hours and woke up back to her old self again, thank goodness!

The afternoon was much more pleasant. After looking at a few books and eating her snack, we opened presents. We gave Kaelyn a cars bag chair to use outside and take camping. She also got two shirts from Kohls, a set of Elmo books and a potty time video, and, her favorite, an Elmo doctor kit. There is a part of the kit that makes noise...plays songs and has Cookie Monster says things. We've heard each of the 4 things it does dozens of times. She seems to really like it! After that we talked her into going outside because it was really nice and she had a great time with her bowling set and other assorted outside toys. We didn't come inside till supper time at which time we made steak. Not that Kaelyn would eat it. She was happy with her corn and roll. After supper I got out her brownie treat and put two candles in one of them. She tried to touch it, but I caught her hand in time. She looked like she tried to blow it out once, but she wasn't really trying. We played in the basement after eating and had a great evening. I was SO glad she turned her attitude around. At least PART of her birthday was pleasant for her! I just hated that she wasn't having a good day! For her AND for us!! Maybe it's because she's officially two now. :)

These pictures are an assortment of the 2 year pictures Sean took in a park a couple of weeks before her birthday. The outfit is her birthday/Easter outfit. I know it's not really a dress, just a long shirt. But that's what she's comfortable in and she can wear it all day long so I like it too! I'm not much of a dress girl myself. And I like putting Kaelyn in things she can play in all day long. I don't want to have to change her and don't see much of a point in putting her in a pretty dress to wear for one hour or JUST for a picture only to change her later. Someday, she can be a girly girl if she wants, but for now... :) She gets what she gets. This weekend we're heading to my parents for her birthday party with that side of the family so I'll update how that went after that takes place.

Kaelyn's two year check up is coming up on Tuesday as well with the doctor and on May 5th...her first dentist appointment! I don't expect either to go particularly well, but hopefully the information we get will be interesting!

To Kaelyn, Happy 2nd birthday! You are the light of my life and my favorite little girl in the WHOLE world!!!