2 & 4

 what happens when you tell your nana that you want a super hero cake for your birthday?

i bet she goes to costco or wally world and orders some subpar number with an iron on like screen print of your favorite masked hero laid carefully on top of a boring old rectangular cake. 

enter nana nancy, cake decorator extraordinaire!

i really should be doing a post solely about this cake, 

she is really setting the bar high for the many birthdays ahead  

and while i think it deserves its very own post

i have to get down the deets on the birthdays before they escape me. 

so the MOST AMAZING CAKE OF ALL TIME will have to share the spotlight.

these two birthday boys are freaking awesome!!!

I'm so glad, almost every second, that they are mine!! ;)

although i'm not sure how i have a 4 year old and a 2 year old 

when i only gave birth to them not 2 seconds ago. 

  i wanted to get gabe and mac matchy matchy jammies one last time

since gabe is fast growing out of the Toddler sizes and entering the S, M, L, XL part of life,

where its not easy to find the same prints as the "baby" clothes. 

i had no choice but to also snag a pair for the littlest little, 

because nothing is more nauseatingly cute then bothers all zipped up in the same get up!

and then there's the small detail of

 using the excuse to have left over cake for breakfast on Macs actual birthday!!

(i was so glad he complied cuz i would have hated to celebrate alone)

*

happy birthday big and middle!

i love you more then just a little! 

(thank you, thank you, i'm here all week)

gabes birthday take 2

Gabe was one Lucky Little Dude this year because he got to have 2 parties.

Because he turned 2.

Not really. he was sick on his actual birthday, so we canceled the big CARS  Extravaganza 

until the following week.

 I had way to much fun with the party, i'm not sure if gabers enjoyed it as much as i enjoyed decorating and coming up with clever little puns and such to go along with the cars theme.

but i have to say i'm pretty impressed with myself. 

i tell ya, my creative juices were really flowing.

and thats saying a lot being 9 months pregnant.

look closely

you might think to yourself, that is a very nice cars logo..

OH NO IT AINT!

 READY * SET  * GO *

Grab a "Hot Rod" = gabes favorite

Stop at the "gas" station for some premium baked beans 

or unleaded chili to accessorize your hot rod

 Organic Fuel available for all you "tree huggers" 

Make a pit stop to "top off" 

Do forget to stop by Flo's if you're feeling a "quart low" 

and who doesn't need a little surplus!

  * FINISH *

 auntie chelsey made this masterpiece.

Gabe was more interested in licking the frosting off the cars.

i dont think he realized or appreciated the time and energy it took to make.

I did however, thanks chels, i'll start thinking about what you can make for next year.

i'm thinking bigger! 3-4 tears of goodness and creativity, i'm picturing cake wars. 

just FYI

oooooo, is that for me?

the names Mater, like Ta-mater, without the 'ta'

 Gabe loves the alphabet, mostly the letter E, strange, i know

what can i say.

{had to get a picture with his best buddy Wes in it}

luckily he has branched out a bit and likes more then just Cars. he also loves toy story.

and he was pretty pleased with the buzz and woody loot he scored!!

 so little dude, you're two!

maybe next year you'll help us blow out your candles!

 xoxoxox

What a difference a year makes!

GABE IS TWO!

1 week

1 year

2 years

Look at this dapper young man. He turned 2 years old today and acts EVERY BIT his age. He is single handedly trying to put me into early labor. Don't let his angel eyes or his sweet face deceive you, he wants his baby brother here and he is doing the best he can to get him here ASAP.

first birthday, in case the cake didn't give it away. 

 He may not be as messy as he was on his first birthday, but again, don't be deceived,

 he is WAY more disgusting.

he likes to lick his food off of his plate like a doggie. One of his favorite past times is spitting of all things, he thinks its hilarious. Burping, another of his many talents, that i'm pretty sure he can do on Que.  he sleeps with one hand in his pants, Al Bundy style. And despite my self made promise that i wouldn't have one of "those kids" thats always dirty. I do! and i don't see it changing in the foreseeable future. Despite my best efforts, the kid loves to get dirty.

and this kid is ALL boy!

Two years old

 Dont get any ideas that this mama is contemplating potty training, i know i have super star friends that have their little ones trained in the ways of the porcelain goddess by two or soon after, 

but this little man is waiting till belly baby is at least 6 months old before we tackle that. 

judge away you over achievers....judge away!

one week *  one year *  two years

However, despite the dyson vacuum he threw down the stairs, the mid costco tantrums, the spitting, the burping, the messes and all the other madness that i'm learning is just par for the course when raising a boy.

he makes me smile and laugh every single day.

i cant imagine my life with out this little dude. 

well... i imagine there would be more sleep involved, which i am very fond of,

but a LOT less joy. 

 We love you little buddy, and we are so happy you are ours.

Happy Birthday!