A Very Special Thanksgiving

You know how you work so hard to make sure your child looks cute for church on Sunday only to have her come home (after nursery) looking like she did her own hair?  To prove that I actually do try to make her look cute, I thought I'd take some before and after church pictures.  Only I forgot the after.

Millie wasn't into it

Somehow we convinced her it was a good idea.  If only we could have found her (still missing) black shoes...

The purpose of these pictures were to show off her early birthday present from my Dad.

Ta-da!

Now on to Thanksgiving:

Since Millie's birthday was on actual Thanksgiving this year, we celebrated on Wednesday with a small (yet large) party for our families.  I worked tirelessly on decorations for weeks, yet seemed to get no pictures of them.  Trust me, it was my best work yet.

Her loving father picked out her party theme: Sweet As Pie

We went all out with more than eight types of pie to enjoy, a pie-in-the-face booth, a pie eating contest and sent everyone home with a pie-in-a-jar.  Because these pictures don't reflect all of that, you'll just have to take my word for it.

We've been practicing blowing out the candles for weeks.  Stage fright I guess?

Buck's Grandma, Grammy, made the pie Millie is loving.

Some of Buck's family, and a small sample of the decorations.

Present opening is always crazy!

Millie got a sweet stroller that she pushes around very seriously.  Jocie wanted to help.

This is Millie's official Barbie.  The one we used in the hospital.

The party went well, but I sure missed having someone (Ashley did it last year) take official pictures of everything.  Millie did learn how to tell everyone she is two by party time, which made us so proud.

We were only home a short while but managed to squeeze in her party, a surprise baby shower for my Aunt Molly, Thanksgiving Dinner, my cousin Lily's Baptism, and Black Friday shopping before we took off early Saturday Morning.

Lily's Baptism was a sacred experience for me, and I'm sure the rest of my family.  Having the opportunity to participate in something so special in such an intimate setting among family (that lives all over, I should add) doesn't happen very often.  Lily asked me to give a talk on Baptism, which I was thrilled (and nervous) to do.  I also got to hear my brother give a talk on the Holy Ghost as well as see my cousins give prayers and sing together.  These are such simple things, but because we live all over and don't attend church together it isn't something I get to see very often.  She is such a sweet little girl that I know will work hard to keep the covenants she made that day.

Millie goes in for her two-year-old check up next week, so I think I will hold off on the "my, how you've grown" post until I know more.  This will be our first visit to a doctor in Connecticut, so cross your fingers we will love him.