Paxton's 2nd Birthday Party

We had a celebration at our house on Saturday.  Our little man turned 2.  Wow 2!  I am that mom who loves to celebrates birthdays and loves to see the ultimate joy on her kids faces when they are being celebrated.  However, I am also that mom who gets a little teary eyed and emotional as she watches her kid turn a year older.  Another year yielding independence from me.  Another year of changes.  Its all very exciting, really.  We had fun having friends come and celebrate him.  The theme of the party was "The Wheels Go 'Round and 'Round."  In honor of Paxton's ultimate love for cars.  He was thrilled!

I found some little wooden cars that the kiddos got to color with markers.And then they got to take those flashy cars and zip them down the ramp.   Paxton was one of the first to get his car out there zipping it down.

 And of course we had to have some sort of car cake right.  So here it was.  I think this is one of my favorite part about birthdays for my kids is thinking through the cake.  I love to think through the design and then of course what kid of cake.  This one is adapted from a  Momofuku Milk Bar recipe.  Its a banana cake layered with chocolate almond ganache and banana cream.  With a chocolate butter cream on the outside.  Probably one of my favorite cakes I have made so far.  Ok enough about the cake.  Paxton thought it was great too as he was pointing at it saying "Car!  Car!"  It was a hit he knew what the shape was on top!  Success!

 I think he realized that everyone was singing to him.  He then leaned a little bit closer to me with a little shyness involved.  So sweet!  For the candles I put them as tail pipes and thats what we lit.  It was on fire.  I mean just the candles were. 

 So much fun to celebrate Paxton boy.  He is truly a sweet little guy.  He has a gentle spirit about him.  As much as he loves his cars, he also loves his sister and wants to find ways to make her feel better when she is sad.  I am so blessed to have him as my son.  We certainly have a lot of fun with him and many sweet moments too.   Happy 2nd Birthday Paxton Boy! 

Almost 2

I held Paxton today as he fell alseep on my chest.  I was reminded of the many moments as a baby he would sleep on me and we would take naps together while Maia and Daddy were off playing.  I thought of the many early mornings we would spend hanging out because he would wake up and then stay up for a couple hours.  At the time it was tiring, but then I think what a special time to have with him as a baby when it was all shared with his sister during the day.  Now he is almost 2.  I have been blessed to be this guy's mommy for two years and I love it.  He is so fun to be around with his huge interest in cars basically anything with wheels.  He loves to follow his sister around and do the things she does like putting on dresses and dancing around the room.  He is also my main cuddle bug.  I think he deliberately wakes up early to get those few moments of cuddles before everyone is up and the busyness of the morning begins.  His smile makes me so cheerful inside and out.  He can be wild and crazy running around our house with a stroller or shopping cart yelling "Go..".   He also can be so kind and go looking for Maia's blanket when she is sad knowing that is what will help her feel better.  I am so excited to get to know more of who Paxton is as he grows older.  As his mind matures and his personality comes out all the more.   What a fun little guy to be around. 

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Sweet Moments

As a mom I have found there to be some significant sweet moments.  Like that first full nights sleep that you have not experienced in a loooong time and when it happens its like Heaven on Earth!  Or the feeling of when you have actually accomplished cleaning the house and it stays that way until the morning when the kids wake up.  The sweetest cuddles from the ones who love you most, who see you at your worst and at your best, who you can be your absolute self to and they will still love you.  But right now I have been experiencing the sweetest moments are those times when my kids are getting along, there is peace in the household, kind words are spoken in gentle tones, there is laughter, helping each other, and looking out for the others best interest.  Be that it may, it can last for and hour or it can last for a minute, I just cherish it.  I pray over them to love each other and to become the best of friends.  Knowing I have no control over their relationship I just love love love when one asks the other to come over and sit with them, or take each others hands and play on the playground together,  Maia reading to Paxton the books she knows and he just cuddling in close to listen and especially laying in ones bed together laughing, playing and singing with each other.  I write this post mostly to remind myself that those moments do happen and to pray that they will grow to love each other and cherish those moments themselves when they have those sweet moments together.