Happy Birthday to Tanner, part 2

Well I posted on his actual birthday about my baby turning 2 but I was too frazzled to get any photos up to show everyone. So here today, a couple weeks later, I am sharing with you.

We celebrated on Christmas Eve (his birthday is the 27th) because some of our out-of-town relatives would be here and we thought he's two and he won't really mind. I, however, did not count on having to do so much cooking and cleaning and all the bru-ha-ha that goes along with a party. You'd think I never did this before. Anyway, I was about to drop but we had a sweet party and it was really nice to have everyone hear on Christmas Eve.

Here is his Elmo cake. I am so proud of this one. I used the ball cake mold (from Parker's basketball party) to make this giant head. (When Zoe had an Elmo party, I ordered her cake from the bakery and it was so cute but at least $30 so this time around I decided to get creative.) The night before the party as I was decorating the cake I realized I didn't have a way to make his eyes and nose "pop." So I thought, I'll just get some mini donuts, like munchkins from Dunkin. Well, let me tell you, Dunkin is not open late, despite that guy's claims to be making donuts all day and night. So I found a beer drive thru that was open who had mini Hostess donuts. Why, you ask did I have to go through a drive thru? Because I had on jammie pants, that's why! Yes, I broke one of my cardinal rules, that is to leave the house in my pjs, but seriously, I thought Dunkin Donuts was open all the time and we have one right down the street!!! The guy at the drive thru of course had to comment, "nice pj pants" I swear I wanted to deck him. Trauma aside, I think the eyes and nose looked cute. It was like torture to cut this cake, I felt like Charles Manson or something, poor Elmo.

Tanner was an expert candle blower-outer. We were shocked, we figured he learned this from his big sister and brother. He also could not keep his little hands out of the icing on the cake, we were all stained red from the icing by the end of the night.

He loved opening all his gifts, he took off every last piece of paper and couldn't wait to get his hands on the goods.

I made him a "2" shirt but he didn't really want to pose for me. Don't you like this look on his face? He's like, "seriously mom, fugettaboutit!"

Big brothers and sisters are the best birthday helpers.

This picture is cracking me up. It is impossible to get more than two people to look right (see my half closed eyes!) in a photo and we are absolutely no exception. The thing that is cracking me up is that my big tall hubby is totally bent over and I am standing straight up, we are the same height. Ha. So crazy.

Well, Tanner is showing his true two year old self, by throwing fits in the store, screaming while I am talking on the phone and insisting we watch Elmo every time we turn on the tv. Yep, 2 year olds, gotta love them.