Happy 2nd birthday Jackson

Jackson's 2nd Birthday Party~
We celebrated Jackson's 2nd birthday party the weekend before Halloween.
So we decorated the party full of Halloween spiders, spider webs, and bats.  If there was a surface at my house...odds are, it wound up being draped in spider webs!  I loved how it all turned out, and I love that we do birthdays big!
You only turn 2 ONCE!!
Jackson loved it when everyone sang Happy Birthday and he just smiled, which surprised me...because he's not my social baby!
I had him dressed as a little spider, although he didn't wear the hat...which was fine. It was his party. He could be hat-less if he wanted. He had so much fun with his family and friends...jumping, sliding, and playing outdoors!
And Mommy had fun, too! I let the photographer take the pictures and just prayed that she didn't miss any big moments, because I wanted to just "be" in the moment with my precious two-year old.  Where does the time go?
Two years have flown by! And I have an amazing two-year old that has the sweetest nature, and en even sweeter smile. 
Happy 2nd Birthday, sweet Jackson!
Mommy loves you!

Sliding at Jackson's 2nd Birthday Party

We always have a bounce house and a slide at our boys' birthday parties...and Jackson's 2nd birthday was no exception...ALWAYS a big hit! As you can see from his precious smile, my big 2 year old had a great time at his party.  Don't you just love Noah's face in the picture where I forced him to slide with us?!? He was desperately trying to be mad...but couldn't quite pull it off sliding down the slide. Funny boy!
Happy 2nd Birthday, Jackson!
Mommy simply adores you, sweet little love!

Jackson's 2nd Birthday Halloween party decorations

Jackson's 2nd Birthday Party

Theme: BOO! Look who's 2!

We had as much orange, black, white, and gray as you can imagine!
Of course, Mama made her infamous glazed sugar cookies consistent with the party theme, as I have done for the boys since Noah's 1st birthday. I buy the cake. But I bake the cookies. I was so pleased with how the party decorations turned out! I even got a bubble blower that had fog in the bubbles, so when the bubbles popped, fog came out! SO cool! I'm sure it'll be used again at other parties, right?

Jackson, it's not that the decorations really matter.

When you're older, I just want you to look back at your birthday parties and see all that your Mommy did to try to make them special.  Because YOU are special. There's no one quite like you! And when you came into this world, our family was complete.

Mommy & Daddy & Noah love you lots!
Happy 2nd birthday!

Jackson's After 2 party

I always enjoy the moring AFTER a birthday party. Yes, the house is a complete disaster...but it's also less stressful, and the party food and fun is still there awaiting!
So, we did what we do after every party...party some more.  But no focus on the perfect picture, or decorations, or hosting...just sweatpants (for Mama) and diaper (for Jackson) for the fun. We ate leftover birthday cake for breakfast, played in the fog bubbles, and of course got all the bang for our buck out of the slide and bounce house!

Morning after Jackson's 2nd Birthday Party

What I love about mornings AFTER the birthday party...moments like this. Just precious moments...like these of my sweet Jackson Joseph...the morning after his 2nd birthday party, when he wakes up to the wonder of a house full of balloons and goodies, but without all the stimulation & hustle and bustle that go along with the birthday party. 
I just love his expression in these pictures that I casually snapped as he sat at the breakfast table with a cupcake and balloons the morning after his party.
Priceless.

Jackson's 2nd Birthday Party Invitation

I just received my proof of Jackson's 2nd birthday party, and I think it's just adorable! Since his birthday is so close to Halloween, I thought it would be fun for the kids to be able to have a Halloween costume party and dress up and be silly.  (And, let's be honest...Mama enjoys dressing up...Ha!!)  I found this adorable invitation at New, Borrowed, & Blue Weddings and Events on Etsy.  I think it's just PERFECT!!! And since I'm going to be out of town the 22-26 of October, Mama has got to get this party planned QUICKLY!
I love a challenge, right? Where does the time go?!?!? How can my sweet baby be almost 2?!?!?