Last Saturday was the party! Eleanor’s big Second Birthday party! Well, it was actually a very small second birthday party. I’m usually a big party planner, that actually would be my dream job, but I’m just not feeling it lately. Life is just a little too stressful and hectic lately to deal with big party preparations. Although, actually throwing her party gave me a little taste for it and now I really want to throw some fabulous parties, but it probably won’t happen.

We kept it small, just our immediate family and a couple friends. And just a few appetizers and dessert. And very simple decorations, some balloons and streamers. And that was it! Super simple, super easy, no stress.

We had it at my mom’s house (even less stress for me). Here is Eleanor waiting for her guests to arrive:

We had a hard time deciding on a theme for her party. When I plan parties I usually have a feeling or a mood that I use and then use colors and decorations to convey that mood. But, like I said, I have just not been feeling it lately, so I just thought we’d pick a character she liked and make it easy on me. I also thought that we could let her choose. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite work out.

I offered a number of suggestions, “Do you want an Elmo party or a Handy Manny party or what about a Curious George party?” Her reply, “Andrew party!!” (In case you’re new here, Andrew is one of my two very best friends, we’ve been friends since high school).

Have I mentioned how Eleanor is obsessed with guys in their 20s? I assume it’s because she’s so crazy about her Daddy, but she cannot get enough of my brothers (who act pretty aloof around her, they don’t even try to entertain her) or of Brian (she asked for him for days after he left) or Andrew (who she is always looking out the window for, assuming he is coming to visit her).

So I asked Andrew what he thought an Andrew party would consist of. His answer was tacos and margaritas. I just didn’t think that would be appropriate for a two year old’s birthday. So I just went ahead and chose a theme that I thought Eleanor would like based on her current obsession.

Unfortunately, I could not find any Blue’s Clues decorations at the local party stores, but I did find some puppy party stuff that had paw prints, so that worked out nicely. But I did want Blue to make an appearance at the party. Lucky for me, my husband is an artist, so I had him free hand Blue on some posterboard for me.  He insisted on having Eleanor color it in. I insisted on doing her spots, nose and paw myself. I think it turned out pretty good.

Eleanor had a great time, as she usually does when family and friends are around. She ran around like a crazy person shoving food into her mouth and generally causing trouble. We decided to let her have a cupcake, despite our no sweets policy. It was the strangest thing I have ever seen. She decided to go face first into the cupcake, but only lick the frosting. The she carefully picked it up and picked off pieces of frosting and licked at it, until we unwrapped it and told her just to eat the thing. This is not at all what we were expecting. Last year, we gave her a cupcake during her One Year portrait session. She first smashed it flat, and then smeared it all over her stomach and face. I guess a lot has changed in a year.

After cupcakes we watched the sugar-high baby open presents. It was pretty ridiculous. She wasn’t really able to focus on the task. And she loved each present so much that she just wanted to stop and play with each one rather than unwrapping the next. She got a bunch of great gifts, which I’m planning to post about later, as soon as I take some photos of them. Because, this is pretty much all of the pictures I took.

Whenever I host a party I end up setting my camera down as soon as guests arrive and usually forget to pick it up again. Lucky for me our friend Amy, Andrew’s wife, is a photographer and as usual was there to capture the moments I did not. I cannot say thank you enough to you Amy. We are so grateful to you for always being there with camera in hand! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Amy just posted about the party, so you can see all of her beautiful pictures here! Please check them out! And while you’re there take a look at all of the posts of their recent trip to Italy! Gorgeous!