Party Time for "Minnie" Janalee!

I hope to eventually get back into the habit of regularly updating the blog.  But I'm sure you are tired of hearing my apologies and excuses.  So I will no longer put my disclaimer at the beginning of a post.  Just know I'm sorry for leaving you hanging.  All five readers!

After our fun and full day at Grant's Farm with the family, we came back home and rested a bit.  Millie Janalee took a good nap as we prepared for the final celebration.  A birthday party!  When she woke up, she was able to dress the part thanks to Pawpaw and Susu's birthday present.  While Russ and the guys had already begun the supper preparations, Millie Janalee came out for her party debut!  She was the star of the show after all.

"Well, Uncie Buck.  Tell me what you think..."

"It's my party and I'll dance if I want to!"

We enjoyed visiting outside to the aroma of bug spray and citronella torches.  Have I mentioned that we have a mosquito problem.  Actually more like a mosquito invasion.  However, now that I think about it, they haven't been hanging around as much lately.  Maybe it's the cooler temps keeping them at bay?

I digress.

Russ prepared some delicious sish kabobs (I had to Google that to make sure it was an actual word.) for supper.  We decided to eat light since we had literally eaten lunch shortly before.  The only other food we had was amazing sausage marinated in yummy sauce Dustin and Russ picked out at the General's Store at Grant's Farm.  And cake of course.  It was more than enough!

The chef at work

Lee and Hughes with their own personal Off clip

Visiting and relaxing on a summer evening

I was so happily surprised to see that Hughes dressed for the occasion!  Millie Janalee...being used to the limelight may not have been quite as enthused...

In all seriousness, she loves her baby cousin.  She has adjusted well and loves to talk to him, kiss him, hug him, and share his paci.  She doesn't mind that he takes some attention.  She has just learned to make sure she's near so that we are all still looking at her too.  Haha!

Kissing cousins!

The beginning of lots of trouble I'm sure

If you have been around Millie Janalee any amount of time, you know that she is constantly talking.  Or singing.  Never quiet.  Everywhere we go here, people comment on how talkative she is.  And how cute her bow is of course.  [Side note: Hairbows are most certainly a southern thing.  We are treated like celebrities around here all because of the big bows.]  Back to the talking...which I love.  But I have also learned to tune it out.  Oops.  So Millie Janalee was carrying on and I realized she was just repeating the same thing over and over, and I looked over at her.  "TWO!  TWO!" as she held up two fingers.  I had been trying to help her do this for a while with no luck.  She was just waiting for her second birthday party to break out the skills.  Yes, you are TWO my darling!  Yes you are!

When Russ finished grilling, we all enjoyed our dinner with the birthday girl and prepared for gifts and cake.  Because that's what kids care about at birthdays, right?

My sweet family!

Millie Janalee was the epitome of the proper birthday girl in her big birthday chair.  She smiled politely as we passed the gifts to her.  With excitement and surprise in her eyes, she opened each gift with a gasp.  And an "ooooh" or "aaahhh!"  Then passed it off so that the next gift could be presented. Ha!

She was blessed with so many fun things this year.  Friends and family who mailed sweet gifts to our new home and family who brought the fun in person.  She loved it all!  And, to my surprise, never cried to open the packaging before all the gifts had been opened.  In true Smith fashion, the adults were as into the toys as Millie Janalee was.  We are reliving our childhood though her I think.

When the gifts were opened and displayed nicely on the table, it was time to make a wish!  I lit the TWO candles on her Minnie Mouse cake and we sang "Happy Birthday" to our sweet girl.  And as the song ended, she leaned over and blew out the candles like she has been doing it all her life.  She performs well for an audience.  Ha!

Making her wish and blowing her candles

She folded her little hands after blowing out her candles waiting for a piece of cake.  I'm serious.  She did all these proper things, and I want to make sure I document them so I will always remember.  It was the cutest little thing.  Thankfully Russ actually got a picture of her little folded hands...

I turned my back to get a knife for the cake, and this happened...

Hahahaha!  Hilarious!  Proper and polite no more.  It was her birthday and her cake, so I did what every mother would do.  I let her take a few more bites before cutting a piece for everyone else.  I love those little bite marks!

I served the birthday girl her cake first, and she was ready to dig in.  As if we didn't already know that!

For the encore, Millie Janalee, Kristin, and Dustin wanted to watch "Froyez" (Frozen).  Russ and I gave Millie Janalee her own Elsa gown for her birthday, so she dressed the part as we played the "moooyee".   She only took her eyes off to dance like Else or sing and twirl like Anna.  The rest of us pretty much just watched her watch the movie.  And we videoed her watching the movie.  That's how we roll.

It's like watching a bonfire.

But it's way more entertaining than a bonfire, don't you think?!

Sunday after brunch, the family got ready for the road trip home.  Millie Janalee and Hughes got some quality time in before they left.  She patted his head and hugged him and kissed him...as we tried to keep her from suffocating him.

After a tearful goodbye (more from the grown-ups than the babies), we decided to blow bubbles outside.  Bubbles cheer anyone up.

It was a happy happy weekend!  Celebrating a happy happy birthday!  And a happy happy girl!  I love this little two year old of mine.  God has blessed us.  May he always bless her.