.: McKenna's 2nd Birthday Party

Well McKenna’s birthday party went very well. I had to fight myself and keep it small and I think we did pretty good. We had about 18 people show (including kids) and that was enough to make it fun but not be too overwhelming for her. Which was good because in all her excitement for her birthday party, she took an early and short nap. She would normally sleep 2-4 on any given day but yesterday she slept 1:30-2:30. So by the time the party was started, she was already getting a little tired. Not to mention she doesn’t really eat pizza so she had to be hungry. I don’t think it would’ve mattered if we’d had other food choices anyway. She rarely eats when there is playing to be done!

She really enjoyed the rides and games. She did not enjoy Chucky. She was fine with the stage show where all the animals were mechanical. But when Chucky came by, she got really scared. She clung to my neck and practically climbed right up me like a scared kitten up a tree. Who can blame her? He’s not the friendliest looking mouse!

She loved the cake. And she got tons of great presents: money, books, clothes, pink fuzzy slippers, dvds, a new Disney Princess Tea set (since the last one got covered in fire extinguisher dust), Color Wonders finger paints and paper, Dora’s Talking Backpack, Silly Parts Talking Elmo, Dusty the Talking Vacuum Cleaner, A talking Disney Princess Camera (a lot of talking toys!), a backpack she can wear that looks exactly like Dora’s backpack and an actual child-sized, working baby grand piano. A PINK one at that. She calls it Pink Ano. And my Mom made her a very special scrapbook of all pictures of her first two years. On her actual birthday she will wake up to find a new play kitchen as well as a toddler table and chairs set. And rumor has it, a few of her friends who were unable to make it still have presents for her. All of that plus a toddler bed and bedding set - I would say that she is one well-taken care of little girl!

She’s really been enjoying all of her new gifts too. The camera is designed to look like a digital camera. It has a flash and when you press the button it says things like “Say cheese” or “You’re so pretty!” And on the back there is a sticker which is made to look like a picture screen (you know how on a digital camera you can view a picture after it’s been taken). So she keeps handing me the camera and saying “Mommy, picture?” So I take the picture and then she says “I see?” and looks at the “screen” and says “Awww, I cute.” What’s really sweet is the actual sticker is a picture of Cinderella and Prince Charming. She calls it “Daddy picture.” I think she thinks her Daddy is Prince Charming. I agree with her = )

She wears her Dora backpack on her back and walks around from room to room like she’s on an adventure and she repeats over and over “Bridge. Tunnel. Chocolate Tree.” (If you’ve watched the show, you know what she’s doing!)

And the talking backpack came with binoculars which she loves to use to watch tv with. LOL! I don’t know why. They don’t magnify it. But she watched half a Dora episode through those binoculars today.

And she has performed many concertos for us on her “pink ano”.

She continues to do very well in her bed. She is sleeping the same amount (with the exception of the short nap the day of her party.) When she wakes up, she simply knocks on her door to let me know she wants to come out. Then she climbs back into her bed to play until I come and get her. I don’t usually wait too long though. For some reason, if I know she is in there and awake, I like to have her door open so I can see her. As hard as we worked to child-proof her room, I just fear that there is something we overlooked and she won’t overlook. So I like to be safe and not sorry.

Here are a few other cute tidbits before I move on to some pictures:

* She can do her first bit of basic math. She holds up five fingers on one hand and one finger on the other. And she says “Fives and one are six”.

* She is thiiiiis close to being able to draw an actual star all on her own. She practices while we both hold the crayon and I tell her that we draw "up, down, left, right, down". And then she does it herself and says "up, down, left, wight, down". She does the lines in the correct direction, just not the correct spacing. But she is getting really close!

* As a toddler, she is constantly naming objects around her. And our response is usually to nod and tell her “That’s right.” So lately I’ve noticed that she will name an object and then nod and say “Mm-hmmm. That’s right Madenna.” (LOL Madenna would be her name in full. She is either Madenna or Denna). So I guess she likes to encourage herself or maybe she’s saving me the task. = D

* A very proud moment for Erick – we were walking through the mall and we passed Hot Topic (if you’re unfamiliar with that store, they sell hard rock clothing, music and accessories). They had some heavy metal playing so Kenna stopped, walked inside, flashed her first un-assisted full-on metal and shrieked “METAAAAAAAAAL!” I think Erick might have cried a little from pride?

Ok, here are some bday pics. You’ll have to excuse Kenna’s floppy hair. She did have pigtails in but she ripped them out and her hair just kind of flopped that way on it’s own.

An invitation to McKenna's 2nd birthday party!

Part of the tables that we decorated:

The cake:

Lukey & Kenna riding on the Barney train:

This was Kenna's favorite ride:

"I got one Mommy!"

Talking to Chucky on the phone:

I think we spent the most tokens on this. It sings the ABC's and you're supposed to hit the buttons as they light up. All she wanted to do was sing the ABC's over and over again: