"Happy Tissue!"

When Leone says "happy birthday" it sounds more like "happy tissue". I chuckle every time. I only have a sound bite of Leone saying it so I can't post it here. I do, however, have a video of her telling us how old she is. This video is a few months prior to her birthday (we had to start early so it would catch on by July).

Leone turned two years old on Saturday. I hung a few banners and we sang "Happy Birthday" over her favorite breakfast (scrambled eggs and a fruit smoothie). Later Spencer took her out for some Daddy-Daughter time.  I stayed home preparing for the party that evening.

In the late winter or early spring our ward had a fundraising auction and we won a chance to use someone's cotton candy machine. That basically decided the carnival theme for her party this year (whenever else would we use a cotton candy machine?). We served corn-dogs and vegetable skewers along with the iconic pink cotton candy and lemonade.  I wasn't planning on a dessert since we'd have the cotton candy but I thought that wouldn't be fair to Leone so I made her favorite treat: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies (no butter and no flour).

Leone was thrilled! We played carnival music, painted faces, and made GINORMOUS bubbles. Leone seemed to enjoy her party, especially playing with cousins, getting some new dresses, and a new doll. 

Leone is, among other things, strong, independent, observant, (a bit sassy) and friendly. Sometimes we butt heads but that's just how she learns her limits. She is turning into quite a chatter box and is putting more words together everyday.  Leone loves to dance and laugh, tickle and chase. She has wild hair and I consider it a good day if she'll let me get near her with a comb or hair tie. She doesn't like doing whatever she doesn't want to do or wasn't her idea originally (we have to be clever). She has started hiding on shelves and clothing racks in stores and it reminds me of how much fun I had doing the same when I was a child. Leone has such an appetite to learn; she drinks up the world around her. She calls me either "Mom" or "Mom-mom" and Spencer is usually "Dad" but she has recently caught onto his name, however, instead of Spencer she says "Bencer". Parenthood has a funny way of forcing us to get creative and pushing us out of our comfort zones. We are grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow alongside our beautiful daughter.
We love our little Leo!

 Favors for the young guests.

 My mother-in-law is a talented artist.