Anna Banana's Happy # 2!

Today was Anna Banana's happy birthday! She had a great birthday. I made her a two layer banana cake with cream cheese frosting (all from scratch! I am very proud of myself!). It had two layers and I tinted the frosting soft pink and then decorated it with purple and pink icing. Anna had been requesting a "cat" cake since Jonathan's birthday in October, so I bought some Hello Kitty stuff to put on top. It was really very yummy! And very suitable for our Princess Banana. For her birthday lunch, I made chicken enchiladas. Last year, Aunt Erin's Mom and Dad spent Christmas with our family and her mom made these fabulous enchiladas. So, I thought I would make it a tradition. Gosh, I guess I am really focused on food right now, huh? Anna had her cousins and her brother there, and Poppa Ed did lots of balloons for her birthday. Justine decorated, as she always does. We just had a very relaxing and laid back time.
Anna was so adorable while opening gifts, but she did have a case of the Mines! Justine tried to look at one of Anna's presents and I thought Anna was going to slug her one! She got everything she wanted, including a Disney princess cash register from Justine and Trystan, which she had just been begging for at Target this week! She got a really special baby doll from Papa Larry and Nana Jo, which she has been alternately nurturing and beating on the floor since we got home tonight. She stole Jonathan's "boo (pacifier)" and gave it to the baby.

While at the party, Anna went in my Mom's purse, pulled out a twenty, and stuffed it down her shirt, into her "bra." Those of you that know my Mom will understand where she got this behavior from!!!! Sometimes my Mom keeps an entire cell phone in there.
I can't believe it's been two years... it seems like she was just born. I remember how beautiful she was as a newborn. She had the softest hair ever. Dave said it felt like feathers and he was exactly right. And I remember her first birthday party like it was, well, yesterday. Being Anna's mother has been such a sweet, sweet time in my life. I love having a daughter so much. And not for the reasons that people usually name, like wanting to buy and dress them in fancy clothes, or wanting to do their hair. Anna is not having any of that! She has a certain sense of fashion. She likes to dress a certain way and I have given up for now with doing her hair. It is so pretty just hanging all around her face. Maybe I am just smitten with her, but as far as I am concerned the child needs no embellishment!
She reminds me so much of myself, and of my niece Justine, and even of my Mom's baby pictures at this age. She's a little like me, only better. She's fiesty and fearless and bold and brave and I hope she stays this way. I have so much hope for her and so much confidence in her future. Happy Birthday, Sweetest Girl!
PS.
She is so smart, too! She can recognize and name the letters, A, B, J, P, M, N, O, T and D! Now, I think that is pretty friggin' spectacular!