Ainsley's Zoo - 2 year party!

Ainsley LOVES animals. she loves going to the zoo, aquarium, pet store, etc.  she likes to name the animal and say what sound they make. she loves to carry around her cheetah, lion, elephant, bear, the list goes on. it's really very cute actually.  It only seemed fitting to have her theme be 'Ainsley's Zoo' for her second birthday party. It was that, Minnie Mouse, or Elmo, and I just couldn't bring myself to do one of them. 

We decided to do a much lower scale party this year. We decided on just immediate family (because I have a big family and extending to all family wouldn't really be scaling down unfortunately). Well, then I realized she wouldn't really have any friends her age here, which isn't super fun for her party. So we added a few close friends with kids Ainsley loves playing with:) And as a bonus, my best friend whitney was in from FL and got to come!!! (with her very charming boyfriend I might add).  We have learned kids parties work best in the morning. Kids take naps in the afternoons and ainsley does not skip her nap time:)  Overall the party went well and she had an absolute blast. The look on her face as she looked around at each person while we all sang "happy birthday" was precious. we wish we had videotaped it. She is so loved by so many and we appreciate each person who makes up our village of raising her.  Here are some pics from the party! 

Sunday, her actual birthday, we went to get her up with balloons and singing happy birthday:) she came downstairs and opened her gifts from us. her big gift was a new playset for outside, but they are still in boxes on the deck waiting for warm weather to be assembled:) 

We went to church and then after church we took her to birthday lunch at Fazolis:) girl LOVES her pasta!!! After that we went to Build-a-bear which she really enjoyed! we weren't sure if she would or not but she really liked it and had fun with it. You pick out your stuffed animal, get to push a pedal to 'stuff it', you put a heart inside it (she got to do two since she was two that day), and then can pick out clothes for it. At the end you make a birth certificate and name your bear. We asked her what her bears name was and she said "white bear". duh. 

I think she had a great birthday. I enjoyed spending her actual birthday with just her and not worrying about a party and hosting. She is such a sweet child and brings so much joy to so many people. We loved getting to celebrate her and her two whole years in this world!