The Whelan Family Photos...Anna Turns 2

Anna and Her Boys...

A few pictures of Anna and best buddies...

Our Fall in Chicago...

Our summer and fall was filled with fun outings and day trips to the zoo, park, playdates, parks, etc. I've compiled a few pictures of some of our favorite spots in our favorite city.

There's a Two-Year-Old in the House

Yes, it's true...Anna is officially 2!! Although, I feel as if Anna's been in her "terrible twos" for a while now. :)

To celebrate the big day, all of our family came to our house (no giant party like last year). We opened presents, had ELMO cake and played instruments and puzzles all afternoon. It was a wonderful get-together and a great way to welcome Anna into her second year.

Oh and BTW...the red stuff on Anna's nose is not chocolate. We had a little accident at the Zoo two days before her birthday. She fell down the stairs and scraped her nose. All better now, though.

What a night.

I have so many posts that need to be made and pictures that need to be downloaded, but tonight all I'm mentioning is our bathtime. I've realized that the magic of parenting exists in the small everyday moments together...without audiences, video cameras or even clothes. :)

Tonight, my Anna hugged me, kissed me and then pointed every part of my face and called it by name. I've never felt so loved and admired. It's like she'd been staring at me for two years, studying every feature and all off the sudden she could say every single word. Billy was there too and we both just melted with how precious it all was.

Anna, my sweet baby girl...you are everything that I ever dreamed a child could be and more. Daddio and Mommio love you with such unconditional passion that you'll never know. You make us so happy everyday. You're talking, dancing learning and singing brings so much light into our lives. Today you said "burp" and we died laughing. I love our dance parties in the playroom to ieeeiii "September". I love our books , puzzles and, of course, snuggle bunnies. I love our trips to museums, the zoo, parks and shopping at our stores. I'm so proud of all that you're accomplishing everyday. Whether it's a new word, brushing your teeth, going potty or going down the slide, the look of satisfaction on your face makes me giddy.

I love you my Anna...Mommy and Daddy love you so very much and we always will.

Whhavat a night.

Moms Can Have Fun Too!

Just because you become a parent, does not mean that you have to give up your identity, your hobbies or your individualism. Billy and I have not done any of that. We look at being a parent as an amazing addition/enhancement to our lives.

Don't get me wrong...of course we've sacrificed and changed. Our priorities have definitely shifted and Anna is on top of that list. However, we've successfully managed to love to be parents and have fun on our own at the same time.

I thought it would be fun to post a few photos of some fun times I've had this summer celebrating everyone's 30th birthdays...including my own. Yes, I'm approaching 30. Surprisingly, I'm excited about it. I'm right where I want to be with all things in my life and am truly looking forward to what lies ahead for the next 10 years.

Summer with Ben (BFF)

I may have mentioned Ben (and Ben's Mom, Donna) before in the blog, but I had to dedicate one full post for them. The Sabin's are our nextdoor neighbors and Ben (four months older than Anna) has not only become Anna's friend, but the ultimate object of her offection. I think Ben trumps both Mom and Dad. :)

We're so lucky to have them as neighbors and friends and especially grateful that Anna has a playmate so close to home and someone who plays so well with her. They really do have so much fun together and it's great to see their early bond. Yay for Ben-ben and Anna!

I've posted some pictures of a couple of summer outings we've taken with Ben and Anna. One is to a neighborhood park and the other is to North Pond and Lincoln Park...both on gorgeous Summer/early Fall days. Oh, and I posted some cute videos too!

"Jumpin" with Anna's First Friend

Anna and Addy on a lazy summer Sunday...Sunday Funday with the Noyes'!

Anna Discovers Puddles

Wow...what a perfect moment in a child's life. A rainstorm, then some sun, a naked baby and a Grandpa that LOVES to be out on a golf course. It literally was a "perfect storm" of cuteness. I've posted some of the most adorable pictures of Anna discovering the infinite amount of fun some rain puddles can create...for the first time!

Summer School and More

Anna and I started our Mom and Toddler classes at Cardinal Bernadine Early Childhood Center (Anna's future pre-school). It's a brand new experience for both of us. Anna's had to learn to clean up and play quietly, while I've had to really learn about the Montessori educational philosophy...autonomy, responsibility, respect and all of the other great qualities Anna is learning about.

Since she started school, her language development has been improving everyday. We're up to close to 50 words. My favorites are Anemone, Octopus, "W" and Apple. Just today she called her pacifire (yes, I know she shouldn't have them) a Boppy...too cute!

This summer has also included a LOT of outside playtime (in the backyard and at the park), lunch dates, bbq's, days at the zoo, afternoons with Grandma, weekends up at Lake Geneva and lots and lots of water.

It's been more than I could have ever imagined...so much fun. Her little best summer friends include Ben (the bestie next door), Addy, Luca, Piper and more.

Some More Very Important Firsts

Anna's vocabulary is exploding. She's trying to say everything and getting better at it each day. But, the pinnacle thus far was when Anna repeated the entire alphabet after I had said each letter to her first. The best letters are F (she says it like she's blowing bubbles), B, O and I. Witnessing that light bulb go on in her head for the first time gave me chills. I don't think I've ever been so excited. I know I say that a lot in this blog, but seeing her face light up with such a sense of accomplishment was from something out of this world. It was incredible and I was so proud. It made me realize even more that I'll be and feel this way for every one of my kid's accomplishments...true, unconditional and deep pride, excitement and love.

So, the alphabet was awesome, but there was another first that is certainly not as important, but for some reason struck a cord with me and made me realize how fast she's growing. I put pigtails in Anna's hair for the first time. She is so freakin adorable, and then I put this two balls of curls on each side of her head and I seriously thought I was going to loose it. She looked so cute...but, there was no sign of baby Anna. My beautiful daughter standing before me was a little girl - talking with pigtails in her hair. My first baby is no longer a baby. Where has the time gone?

A Girl's First Barbie is SPECIAL!

Thanks to Uncle Ricky, Anna experienced her very first Barbie Doll (that just happened to sing Cinderella songs). It was incredible to see her light up...she's such a girl! I posted a couple of pictures