Celebration of Life

My baby turned 2 on Saturday :(  How is that even possible??  It seems like only yesterday she was this little:

And now she's this big:

We celebrated the day by just enjoying some time at the lake with Gammy and Papa, Auntie Jocie and Uncle Chris, Auntie Trishy and Soon-to-be Uncle Brian, Mommy and Daddy and Sissys.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day!!  She was pretty tired so we got a nap in her before presents and cake.  She's really into Elmo so instead of spending an outrageous price on a cake that we would end up throwing out, I made Elmo cupcakes.  They turned out ok.  I wasn't too happy about them, but everybody else seemed to think they were good so I guess that's all that matters.  

All in all, I think she must have had a pretty good day because on the way home from the cabin, she was singing, "I happy, I happy, I happy".  Second birthday=SUCCESS!!!

We are just so blessed beyond measure to have this beautiful, FUNNY, sweet, loving, spunky, little girl in our lives!!!  Her birth was so scary and all the trauma after her arrival and after being told how lucky we are to have her AND me still here today we definately THANK GOD EVERY DAY for sparing both of us!!  We just can't imagine our lives without her...she has made our family complete!!  I just wish she'd slow down on growing up, just a little bit!! 

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY, HAIDYN GRACE!!!  WE LOVE YOU BEYOND MEASURE!! 

Wow!  What a weekend we had! It was so nice to get away but even nicer to come home!  We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends that we were able to spend time with. 

It took us awhile to get to Dana and Dave's with all of the stops we had to make with 3 little girls.  And of course, we had to stop so Eric could eat at Red Lobster in Mankato.  We made it to D and D's about 3:30 in the afternoon, just in time for the kids to play in the pool!  It was HOT!!  After Dana got home from work we decided to take the kids to the Mall of America to Nickolodean Universe.  I had never been there before and neither had Isabella.  Mallory has gone a couple of times with Girl Scouts so she was familiar with the place but I don't think she ever went on any of the rides.  We had a blast!!  Haidyn wasn't so sure about the rides so she only went on a couple.  We talked Mallory into going on the upside down roller coaster and she went 3 times!!  This is how much fun she thought it was: 

Check out her face.  I know it's blurry and kind of hard to see but if you look close enough you can see.  It is hilarious!!  Isabella wasn't as brave.  She decided she wanted to go on the ride that goes straight up the pole and shoots down.  We told her she'd probably be scared...and she was.  SCREAMED AND CRIED for Daddy to get her off!!  After that she pretty much stuck to the kiddie rides!

Saturday morning we went to my friend, Krystal's.  Her and her husband had built a new house and I hadn't seen it yet and she only lives about 15 minutes from D and D's so it was a perfect opportunity for us to catch up.  Her son, Griffin, is just a few months older than Haidyn and she is expecting a baby girl in August.  I am so excited and happy for her.  Her home is beautiful!!  I wish we could have stayed longer but it was going to be a hot day and we were meeting back at D and D's to take the kids to the water park.  It was fun and a nice way to cool off.  Haidyn was leary at first about the water but after a few times she really warmed up to it and then it was hard to keep her out!  She'd run and splash and LOVED going down the little slide.  Such a big girl!!  Mallory and Isabella enjoyed the slides as well.  The kids were WIPED by the time we got back that Bella fell asleep early and so did Haidyn.  I was sleepy too!

Sunday we were up bright and early to drive to Coon Rapids for the 5K Run/Walk to Remember for the Baby Angels Foundation.  Some close friends of ours lost their 3-month-old baby boy, Declan, to SIDS in February and this was an event that Baby Angels Foundation was putting on to help fund SIDS research.  It was a great way for us to show our support to Nate and Holle and to be outside and get some exercise for a good cause.  My sister, Emily, was running it as well.  It was close to 90 degrees on Sunday so we came prepared with lots of water.  We were only going to do the 2K but we ended up walking the entire 5K.  It was HOT once again, but luckily part of the trail was shaded and there was a nice breeze so it didn't feel too bad.  Isabella was having a rough time though and kept asking, "how much longer?" and "I'm so hot!".  She was a trooper though and so was Mallory.  And I'm the only one that ended up with a blister!  Guess I need to find some better walking/running shoes.  All in all though it was a very humbling experience. 

The back of the free t-shirts "Forever in our Hearts"

FINISHED!!

Just starting out!