Our beach vacation got canceled this year because of a hurricane. I was VERY angry about it, that vacation means a lot to us as a family and as a friend group (we go with two friends from high school and my college freshman roommate). We didn’t want to completely cancel our time off though, and since E hadn’t been to the lake house yet this year we hung out in Virginia. It was a little colder for my taste, but it was still fun. Our best Navy friends came to hang out from Virginia Beach so Caroline got to see her favorite person. We even did a grown-ups only day in NoVa with most of the friends I was supposed to see at the beach, so we don’t have to wait another year to see my BFFs. It’s hard to complain about a lake vacation, especially now that we’re home and I’m just looking back on the pictures.

While I’m gone, I thought I’d repost some of my favorite stuff from the past few years. But an all-repeat post is kind of boring so here’s the details on the favor boxes I put together for Evan’s upcoming 3rd birthday party:

Boxes, twine and tag from In The Clear on Etsy

Dinosaur tattoos, stamp and toy from Oriental Trading Company

Dinosaur stamp from Melissa & Doug set I bought Evan

Custom “ROARRR! means I love you in Dinosaur” from Tickled Pink Paper + Ink on Etsy

Moss filler from the local dollar store

To be honest, I spent a long time thinking about these and putting them together and have do practically nothing else in preparation for the party. I figure I’ll toss around a bunch of moss and rocks and a few more toy dinosaurs and call it good. I’m even going to feed my guests store bought food and a cake I hired someone else to make. I figure with two toddlers of my own and a house full of guests I need to stop driving myself crazy doing EVERYTHING myself. Although I’m pretty sure I’ve said some version of that same sentence before every party I’ve thrown.

Here’s a trip down party memory lane:

Evan’s First Birthday: Circus (food, friends, decorations, photobooth)

Caroline’s Baby Shower: Nursery Rhymes

Evan’s Second Birthday: Bubbles, Balls & Balloons (decorations, food, friends)

Caroline’s First Birthday: Sparkle & Snow (party post, details)

Are you really, really hungry now? Sorry about that.

At his 24 month checkup yesterday, Little Evan was almost exactly 50% on all the charts.

Height: 34 inches (he’s grown 2 full inches in 6 months)
Weight: 26 lbs 8 oz (up 2 lbs 5 oz in 6 months)

I was concerned his iron might be low because he drinks so much milk (too much dairy can inhibit iron absorption) but it was high enough to be in the normal range, even if it’s in the low end of the normal range. He didn’t cry or protest during the finger prick at all but I explained it to him as a “little poke” so when I told him he was getting one more “little poke” for his vaccine he cried. But even with the sad sad SAD crying he thanked the nurse for the stickers and held my hand nicely to the front desk. Such a big kid.

I did ask the pediatrician about whether she thought he should be talking more and she said the threshold for delay was less than 50 words and not making 2 or 3 word phrases, so as long as I thought he had more than 50 words he was ok. I’m…not so sure. He did talk to her and sign several things – which she was impressed with – but she agreed that maybe it would be worth getting him evaluated and wrote us a referral. Someone from the speech therapist’s office will call me so we can set up an appointment soon and I can either stop worrying about it or actually DO something about his lack of words.

But for now, I’m just thrilled he’s growing and healthy and ready to play outside in the spring weather at last!

My plan worked! Or at least, I’m going to pretend is was my genius idea on Wednesday that lead to our current thaw and the chance to play out on the porch yesterday. Thank God for that porch y’all, because the yard is still 80% snow but the other 20% is mud and even though I’m trying to keep up my good attitude regarding my housekeeping responsibilities it would be madness to encourage a toddler and a dog to play in the dirt and then run through the house. MADNESS I TELL YOU.

We took advantage of the 50+ degree weather to try out Little Evan’s new bubble machine. I asked Twitter for suggestions and although everyone agreed the cheap kind tend to break down after a lot of use I only need it to work until the beginning of April, so for $11 I’m willing to buy another if need be.

Because really, this much fun is totally worth ten times that much.

We hid this car on the porch for the winter and now it's like having a BRAND NEW TOY. Brilliant.

This picture has not been edited or retouched in any way. Holy ginger child, Batman!!

Portrait of a child who knows a cage when he sees it...even if it is full of bubbles.

I think the Navy should install bubble machines on all their submarines. It would certainly make them more fun. Doesn't E look like he's having fun?

Ok, now for a vote. Which picture do you think I should use on Little Evan’s birthday invitations?

#1 - Smiling child

OR

#2 - Amazed at the bubbles child

Either way it has to be cropped so the proportions are opposite – portrait instead of landscape – so his face and the bubbles around his face are the most important part. I can’t decide which one I like. I AM, however, getting super duper excited about the party. It’s not going to be *quite* as epic as last year’s circus party but still pretty fun.