We just celebrated a day of love and it was so fun to watch Bentley as I went through all of her Valentine's cards with her. She'd ask me what each one said and who it was from, and smiled or giggled after each one. Or if there was one that said "cute" she would say "I'm not cute! I'm beautiful!" It's amazing how seriously she takes these cards and the positive reinforcement from anyone. It's so important to tell my kids I love them, and I can't forget about the amazing husband I have as well. He has worked so hard to provide for our family, and still finds time to play and read with the kids and spend time together with us. If I need him to be somewhere or do something for me, he fully commits to it and follows through with whatever it is I am asking. I can't imagine life without him. I feel pretty spoiled and just love my little family so much!
On Valentine's day, we went over to Kim Johnson's house for a little party with breakfast, crafts and socializing. Then Bentley had school later that day and we brought the snack which we had made together the night before - pink heart shaped rice krispies. We also brought her Valentines cards she had prepared. We had a family home evening the night before where we talked about love, put their cards together, made the snack, and I also made these fizzy hearts with baking soda so the kids could pour vinegar on them and watch it bubble. Bentley came home from school with a bag full of cards and some cookies she had decorated. The cutest thing was, she had already chosen which chocolates and goodies she was going to share with Deacon! She is so sweet sometimes. We also had Play School the next day where we exchanged cards again with more friends. Bentley definitely LOVES giving gifts to people.
Here are some other random pictures that I thought were kind of cute...
Having two birthdays so close together made for a busy couple of weeks! I kept things pretty simple, but I wanted to make sure Deacon felt special and that there was time to focus on him.
Deacon is such a joy to have around! He seriously has such a happy personality, really enjoys life, and gets so excited over the smallest things. He is very energetic and daring, and loves to find things to climb and jump off of. He is so goofy and loves to make people laugh, although he probably doesn't realize his laugh alone could make anyone giggle. He loves anyone who will play or wrestle with him. He loves all his cousins, but has created a particularly special bond with Griffin, the older version of him! He is also sensitive and loves a good cuddle and giving hugs. The way to his heart though, is food! While he's started to be a little picky with some things, he can still pack it down. We are working on picking up a few more words than the (literally) 3 he knows. But he definitely understands lots and just chooses to communicate back by saying "ahh" in different tones. He loves books, cars, dinosaurs and most especially, water. He is drawn to sinks and baths, and I get tired of changing his clothes multiple times a day!
For his party this year, I invited some close family and friends over to our house. We had a construction themed party with a "Build-a-burger bar." My mom brought some other side dishes and the food was delicious. I put yellow caution tape all over the room as decoration and a sign on the door saying "Caution, 2 year old ahead." I used yellow cutlery and found some plates with tractors on them. I also had construction hats for the kids to wear and a vest for Deacon. He really loves dressing up so he thought it was all really fun! I also created a cake that looked like tractors were digging the dirt. Deacon loved it, and it was so cute to watch him get excited about everyone singing to him and then blow out his candles. I am constantly surprised at how much he knows and understands! Since he doesn't have many words, I'm always underestimating him. He also had a good time opening his presents, although Bentley and her friends overwhelmed him a little bit I think! They cheered him on as he opened and then immediately gave him one after the other. It was cute to see him be the center of attention. Afterwards, all the kids played with the new toys and I also put some bins out with dried beans and tractors to play in. It made a mess, but the kids loved it! All in all, it turned out really well and Deacon seemed to have a great time!
I can't believe he is already 2 and that he has a little brother coming soon! His world is about to change completely. While I'm a little nervous about that and I know he will struggle for a while, I'm also so excited for him. Whenever I see how much fun Bentley and Deacon have together, I am reassured that creating a big family is just what I want to do. Siblings are awesome. Well, we love our Deacon and can't wait to experience life with him!
