And not to be left out of the back-to-school shananigans...

Happy 2nd birthday, my little princess!

Today is Kate's birthday. She's two! And does she ever act like it? She fights about what to wear, when to get dressed, what hair clip and shoes to match, where to go, when to leave, where to sit in the car, what to eat, when to eat, where to sit to eat, when to nap, what toys and blanket to nap with, who to hold her, when and how she is held, how her hair is done, when her hair is touched, where/when/how/by whom her diaper is changed... Should I go on, or are you getting the idea?

God sure knew how to make sure that this firecracker was my last!

When she doesn't get what she wants - and honestly, she doesn't know what she wants most of the time - she kicks, screams, hits, throws, bites... Wow. It sometimes seriously leaves me speechless.

I can't possibly count the number of public tantrums this girl has thrown. She definitely has topped the number of all my boys combined! I never would have had the courage to deal with her in Walmart, the library, the park, the pool, the bike-trailer, the stroller, etc etc if she was my oldest. Now, I just roll my eyes, grab her off the ground and smile at all the onlookers begging with their eyes to give me advice that I totally don't want.

Kate is who she is. My job is to mold, shape - and hopefully inspire - her to use all this stubborness for good. Pray for us.

And she is totally and utterly adorable. Her blond curls, her tan skin, her chubby cheeks, her blue eyes, her plump thighs, her darling smile... She gets her way with strangers.

But this momma and daddy know better though. We try not to let her get away with too much, but hey - She is the baby. Everyone else had been replaced in "baby" status by this point.

And it goes without saying that she will always have a special place in my heart as our "limited edition" baby girl.

Happy Two Years, Princess! Stay cute. And be nice to your mom and dad.

* * *

Kate loves to "help" me cook in the kitchen, so we got her some Ikea stuffed food,

... a wood birthday cake with velcro candles and a wood pizza set with velcro toppings,

... and the grand finale - 

An Ikea Kitchen! She loves it.