ladybug, ladybug...

Well, my little ladybug is two. We had a party for her over the weekend; mostly family came, plus an “extra” set of grandparents whom we love and cherish, and one family with two boys that my kids like to play with. Since we call our precocious daughter our “ladybug”, we ran with that theme and I made a ladybug cake and cupcakes. We also got her “The Grouchy Ladybug” by Eric Carle. And my friend who makes beautiful jewelry made her a ladybug necklace.

The best part of my “décor” I think were the invitations, shirt and bow. I put my fingerprint in red paint at random on the invites and used a thin black marker to draw ladybug features. Inside, it said “Come celebrate with us as our little ladybug turns 2!” The oversized pink t-shirt from Hobby Lobby had the same fingerprint ladybugs all over, as did the small white ribbon bow in her hair. For a girl who never, ever leaves a bow in, this one has made it through the better part of the day several times now. And the shirt…well, it needs a good washing since it’s her new favorite and she’s even slept in it twice. She turned two and her opinions intensified double-fold! Haha!!

But, oh how she’s grown. She has gone from an 11 lb, 3 oz newborn to a petite, feminine creature of adorable spunk and mischief. She has gone from a baby with a serious, life-defining injury after a traumatic birth, to a little girl on the move with virtually no signs of that injury. She thinks her brother is the end all, be all and wants to play with him and love on him. She swings from the table or counter edge and makes me wonder if she’ll climb them like a monkey soon (literally—you should see her feet try to grip the side!). She is suddenly bursting forth with words and wonder and independence. My, the tantrums she can throw when she is truly incapable of putting her own clothing on her body, and mommy must do it. And every day she digs herself a little deeper into our hearts.