Happy 2nd Birthday, Whitney!!

Two years ago today, a beautiful baby girl was born just two hours from our home.  Two years ago today, we werent 100% sure if that baby girl would become our Whitney Faith,  but God knew long before we were ever here.  We dont have any pictures from the day she was born, and we werent in the room to hear her first cries, but those things dont matter in the grand scheme of life.  This little girl made us parents, and she continues to bless us on a daily basis.  From the funny things she says, to her unpredictable bursts of energy, to her sassy divalicious attitude and her soft, gentle, "cuggle on da couch, Mommy?" moments....she is our everything. 
I forget what life was like before God brought Whitney to our home.  Im sooo glad I blogged back then, as it reminds me how far we've come and just how much of a blessing we have been given.  Amazingly humbling.

I got a brief text from Whitney's birthmom, T, this morning.  Just said basic happy birthday wishes.  I know I dont talk about T or L here much, but they are continually on my heart and in our prayers, even though they arent immediately in our lives.  I know that this day was full of very mixed emotions two years ago, and while I cant ever begin to imagine how T was feeling, now that I have been a mother for a few years, I have a tiny glimpse into what it could be like to hand a child over to someone else.  Unbelieveable.  I just simply couldnt do it.  While T and I will likely never be best friends, I could never thank her enough for bringing Whitney into our lives.  I texted her a picture and a text letting her know the agency has our latest update. 

Whitney and I spent the morning using up her gift cards at ToysRUs, Target, and the Disney Store after visiting G.G. for a tea party!  Then, after a brief nap (ooooh, how I hope the napping doesnt cease anytime soon!) we headed to dinner with Mac and Gramps where she opened the last of her birthday gifts this year :)

(PS I am making a note to myself to come back with video of Whitney singing "rockabyebaby" to her new Ariel doll in her new doll bed tonight :) PRICELESS.  I get teary-eyed about twice a week when Whitney says or does something extraordinarily cute or fantastic, and "rockabyebaby" did it tonight :)...that, and when she sang "Blessed be Your Name" in the car tonight. AMAZING." Video. Get on it, Kat.)

We started the day making cookies at 8:30am.  "Making cookies" means "grabbing an egg and some butter and pouring the packaged stuff in a bowl til it resembles cookie dough."  I promise to make REAL, ACTUAL cookies when she is old enough to understand and appreciate the efforts. For now? Betty Crocker makes a mean sugar cookie.

And Whitney was an awesome helper :)

We may or may not have used a can of crescent rolls in place of an actual rolling pin.  Dont judge.  It got the job done and the birthday girl was none the wiser. So there. Take THAT Martha Stewart.  

Making cookies is an exercise in patience when you are a newly-minted two-year-old. 

So we tried to pass the "7-9 (but really it took 12) minutes" with some dress-up fun. :) We were able to fully dress 2 entire pwincess ensembles, head-to-toe.  Trust me...that is good info for future reference.

Whitney was Waaaaaaaaay excited when the oven timer went off.  "Mommy!!! Da cookies are DONE! Dey ready! SPWINKLES!!!!!"

Fun, right?

Icing.  She ate a TON.

Sprinkles.  She dumped the container upside-down...and held it there. I will have sprinkles on my floors until her 14th birthday.

But that first bite was fantastic....(and I sit here typing and eating the ears off a bunny cookie...)

It was a funw ay to start this little girl's big day :)

After some cleaning of bodies, floors, and counters, we were excited to go see G.G. for a tea party! Whitney ADORES her G.G., and was realllly excited to press the button on the "eldibator" (elivator) to his new place.  She knew as soon as we pulled into the parking lot "We at G.G.'s house!!"

After some major shopping and a brief nap, we headed to  Mac and Gramps' before dinner.  They gave her my old (20+ yr old) table and chair set first.  She LOVED it! She immediately wantedt o throw a tea party for the stuffed animals Mac and Gramps staged for her :)

"Cheers, Gramps!"

"Cheers, Mac!"

And then it was time to open her last "big" gift of this birthday.  THE Castle.  Cinderella's Castle.  Ooooh, dont worry.  Eric captured the reveal on video.  It's cute :)

Who's more excited!??

Castle-playing is tough, serious work!

It wasnt easy, but we packed up the castle parts and headed to my parents' club for dinner.  Eric and I both LOOVE the food at their country club and JUMP at the opportunity to celebrate ANYTHING there :) Whitney had a hotdog (hot gog) while we ate like kings and queens :) Thanks, Mom and Dad!

And when the dinner plates were cleared, our server carried out a FABULOUS dessert, just for our Princess!

She could NOT have been more excited! "Cake!! Candles!!!!!!!!!!"

And while we quietly thanked the heavens that a child really only HAS to blow out candles once a year, our Whitney tried and tried and tried her best to blow those silly candles OUT.  (We have a whole year to tackle that task before its an issue again...)

And really?? Cant you tell this kid had an AWESOME 2nd birthday?! Her face SCREAMS, "I LOVE BEING TWOOOOO!"  

Thanks so much for allllllllllll of the Facebook comments, texts, calls, and emails celebrating our baby's 2nd birthday!! We truly appreciate alllllllllll the love and prayers she has been blessed with through the last two years.  We sincerely could NOT be happier than we are right now :)