DAY 1048... CENSORED

I'm pretty annoyed right now.

I'm a little over social media and their distorted way of thinking and acting. What's my biggest annoyance???? The fact that I cannot post these videos or pictures of my innocent child, who is a baby (okay so not really, she is growing up) but she was a baby here...

Anyone see anything wrong with any of these pictures of a baby?

I certainly do not. But apparently these are immodest pictures. However, Instagram and Facebook will still allow teenagers who are barely dressed in the skimpiest of bikini's to post photos in provocative poses with seriously very little if any clothing on at all. I will spare you all an example photo.

From this I understand that apparently there is a perv out there who is turned on by these pictures and that's why they are immodest? I don't understand who else these photo's would offend. Please, come tell me that these pictures of a newborn infant turn you on. I will cut off your manhood and feed you to the dogs because that it absolutely disgusting! I am ashamed to live in a world where these people exist.

This is motherhood.
This is true life.

It is bloody hot right now, duh, it's July, and my 2 year old is constantly running around in her diaper most of the day. It is just too hot to put her in clothes. Of course just because she is in only a diaper she doesn't stop doing cute things, so I continue to take pictures and videos, but I can't post them because they will be censored. Why? Because she is experiencing real life and it's too hot for her to be fully dressed. Sorry, I'm not going to risk heat stroke or heat rash just so my child can be fully dressed in the dead of the summer heat.

I am ashamed to live in a time where we cannot express true life or the beauty of motherhood. Where provocative teenagers wearing barely any clothing at all are more free to show their nasty bodies, than the perfectly formed body of an innocent baby. Do I think that there is a line or an age where the line should be drawn, of course! I don't find anything wrong with a child in a diaper, but once they are potty trained in underwear, that, in my opinion, is when the topless photos should cease, at least of little girls.

I have dozens of photos of me in the tub with my siblings, are those considered offensive? I certainly don't think people had a problem with them back in the day when they were taken, so what has changed? What is different?

I have a private Instagram account... you can't see my pictures unless I say you can follow me. If you don't like the pictures I post, unfollow me. I have settings on my Facebook that keep my account pretty private, and you have to be my friend in order to see photos and what not. You don't like what I post... Unfriend me. Yes, there are pictures, tons of pictures on my blog of my daughter, but this is my blog. You don't like it, don't read it. Why is that such a hard concept to grasp? I don't follow skanky teenage girls who post nasty pictures, if my "friends" on Facebook post pictures or links that I don't like, I unfriend them. Instead of whining about what other people do, I understand that I have control over my life and what I look at. if I don't like it I don't need to complain about it, I can just change what I look at.

Don't censor my motherhood and I won't censor your life.

We are all at different places in our lives. There have been times when cheerleading and food have consumed my blog, Facebook and Instagram, but right now in my life, the most important thing is my family and that includes a half naked baby running around enjoying life. You can bet that I am going to post pictures of the people I love the most in their everyday environment. It's going to happen.

Stop censoring motherhood.

DAY 1047... The Best Two Years

I got Aniston's 2 year old pictures back last night and I could not be more happy with how they turned out! It was a miracle that we got so many adorable smiles out of my stubborn/sassy babe, but I had lemon heads and smarties for bribery! Ani's also at that stage where if you pull out a camera, she gets all cheesy and pulls out a smile. I think she has figured out just how cute she really is. I think that definitely manifests itself when she looks at these pictures and says, "Oh, I'm so cute." Oh, I just love her!

 My little Minnie Mouse lover! She is just such a cutie! The bench was actually made by Spencer's grandfather, and Aniston loves it! It's perfect for her little body!

 I love her chubby cheeks and her baby blue eyes!

 Aniston loves this hat! Thank goodness it was only $3 on clearance!!!! Thank you The Children's Place!

 Aniston definitely has inherited my eye shape. Sometimes when I smile really big, they get a little lost...

 Those lips!!! I'm so excited that baby boy has the big lips too!!! So luscious!

 I just love this picture! I always wonder what is going on in her little mind behind those blonde curls.

 PURE HAPPINESS! She was watching bubbles of course! What child is not magical entertained by bubbles? Also... the dimples! L-O-V-E!

 I still can't believe she is 2!!!

 Does this look like a 2 year old to everybody else? All I see is a little girl. Not a toddler, not a baby, but a little girl! 

 Cheeks for days!

I always wonder what Aniston is going to look like when she is all grown up... If she stays this cute, Spencer is going to have his work cut out for him!

 There is so much brightness and goodness behind her eyes! Aniston really inspires me to want to be better and do better in everything!

This picture might just be my favorite. I hope she takes a senior picture in this pose so we can put the two side by side and just love them!

Seriously, the past two years have been the BEST two years ever! I'm so blessed to be the mother to this beautiful girl!!!! Can't wait to see where the next year will take us!

DAY 1044.... It's a Minnie Mouse Birthday Party!!!

Shut the front door, my Aniston is 2!?!?!? Seriously where does the time go? I was warned, like most first time parents, about how quickly your child will grow up. Since time had gone so slow previously to Ani being born, especially during the whole pregnancy part, I am pretty sure I chose to ignore that warning. But seriously.... Now it's been 2 years and I feel like it was yesterday that she came into our lives!

Aniston is pretty unique. She is amazing of course, but so grown up and knowledgable for a 2 year old. She talks in full sentences, still blows my mind absorbs like a sponge, sometimes Dad and I have to really watch what we say, and is just so dang smart. Her imagination is out of this world! Yesterday, at the parade, there were multiple airplanes flying by. We asked Ani what they were doing and her response was, "they need to go get food." I'm proud to say that my child understands and acknowledges the importance of food! She has these, what she calls, baby dinosaurs, that she plays with all the time, and I love listening to her in her toy room play by herself with them. She always has a mommy, a daddy, and a baby. One of them is always going to the doctor for a check up (thank you Disney channel) and they always sing songs together. It's pretty much the cutest thing I have ever seen!

I'm kind of big into comparing pictures from the exact same day, in different years. Here is Ani the day she was born, the day she turned 1 and on her second birthday!

Ani's favorite thing right now is Minnie Mouse. So it was kind of a no brainer when it came to the theme of her party. Why do we spend hours and hours prepping for a 2 hour party? The things we do for our kids. I wanted to make as much as I could to save money and I am loving how it turned out! Thank goodness for Pinterest! How on earth did I ever get married and plan a reception without it? We put her to bed in her new Minnie Mouse jammies, and she woke up happy to Spencer and I singing Happy Birthday to her. I think she thought she was pretty cool.

I found these super cute invitations on etsy, but I didn't want to spend $40 for 10, when I knew I needed more. So I got onto publisher and made my own version. I got 20 invitations for less than $5! I just love to save money and still have a quality product. 

I also found a cute birthday banner on etsy too, but once again, my cheapness overcame and I buckled down and just made the banner myself for less than 75% of what it would have cost me.

I did however give into etsy for her birthday outfit! The outfit also came with leg warmers (way too hot) and a bow, but she liked wearing her Minnie ears much better. Super cute though! You will see more of her in this adorable outfit when I get her 2 year pictures next week! 

Aniston just wanted to eat Cheetos and not smile for mom...

A very important part of any part is the food of course! I probably went a little overboard, but Pinterest had the cutest ideas and I just couldn't say no. Getting a grill for Spencer for Father's Day was definitely a good choice. But we have SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much left over!!! Snacks for days, I can't complain.

We also had Minnie's Hammy Burgers and Mickey Hot Diggity Dogs! So yummy!

I found a cute cake on Pinterest, but then Aniston came over and started looking with me and informed me that she must have cupcakes. So I found a cute cupcake. Even though for whatever crazy reason we could not get the frosting to be red, they turned out pretty cute! I bought a chocolate mold for the bows off Amazon for like $1, and luckily my hubby has experience in chocolate molds. Is there anything that man cannot do? Also my youngest brother Ryan did the frosting... Cupcake War here he comes!

 I definitely made her cupcake stand out of can food and $1 poster board and I had the ribbon... I am so cheap!

So what is the best and most fun way to get candy to kids during birthdays? A Pinata of course. When I was younger my Dad would always make pinatas for our parties and most of the time we could not break them. We would break the broomstick or dowel or bat that we were using to attempt to break it before the pinata would break. So of course I asked him and my brother to make the pinata for us. It turned out as an egged headed Minnie, and ended up providing us more entertainment then we could have imagined. All of the little kids took turns hitting it, but because they all ranged between the ages of 2-4 it wasn't super successful. So we offered Spencer the opportunity to break her open. Can I just say how glad I am that I recorded this? 

As you can see, Aniston did not like it so much. I think she was pretty upset that her Daddy just broke open Minnie's head with a stick. Let's be honest, it's a little barbaric, but also pretty darn hilarious. And once she saw that there was candy all over the place her tears disappeared.

It was a lot of fun to have friends and family come spend the day with Aniston and to celebrate her. She was pretty blessed! Later that night we went into Idaho Falls with our friends Tara and Ryan and ate at Red Robin. It's kind of tradition considering we did it for her first birthday and now again for this one. She loves being sang to so it's perfect. Plus free ice cream.... kind of awesome.

Here is her reaction from last year...

Here's the reaction from this year...

We went to Walmart to pick up a few things before heading back and I couldn't help but to catch this moment between Ani and her Daddy. She just loves him so much!!!

Apparently we have a thing for shoulder riding on her birthday, because I found this picture from her last birthday pretty much doing the same thing with Dad... I just about died from the cutest of how these two bonds in the same ways and we didn't even recognize it.

She also loved all the fireworks she saw driving home at night. How many people are lucky enough to have fireworks on their birthday?

Basically we had a GREAT day! It's pretty exhausting having a child born the day after a holiday, and isn't it funny that my due date is the day after Thanksgiving? We must have a timing thing going on. But I wouldn't change anything! 

They say it takes a village to raise a child and boy is that the truth! I want to take the time to thank everybody who had helped Spencer and I survive the past 2 years. Because let's be honest... To be a parent is to survive. It's not even close to being easy and it is probably the hardest thing Spencer and I have ever done, but it's also, by far, it's definitely the most rewarding! To everyone who gave us advice, taught Aniston, played with Aniston, set good examples for Aniston (and she had so many good examples) and who have loved Aniston, thank you! She is such a beautiful, smart, hilarious, stubborn, sassy, talkative, loving but most of all happy child. We couldn't have done it without all of you! Spencer and I are so incredibly blessed to be the parents to such a fantastic child! We love you so much Aniston Kate! This year is going to change your life! But I know without a single doubt that you will be an incredible big sister and that you will only grow and develop new talents and skills from these future changes. You are such an inspiration and motivation to us! Thank you for allowing us to be your parents and for giving us the opportunity to learn about love and all that fun parenting stuff!

Happy 2nd birthday my little Minnie Mouse!!!!

DAY 1043... Red, White and Blue!

I LOVE the 4th of July! It has always been my favorite holiday! It's hot, there's always a a BBQ, fireworks, and we get to celebrate our wonderful country. Seriously, I think too often we forget how lucky we are to live in America. It's probably one of the biggest blessings we have in our lives. There are people, men and women, who have families, who are fighting everyday for our freedoms. The spirit of America is amazing. It is a very emotional thing for me. I love hearing the national anthem, I love seeing the flag, and I love living here. I love to have my freedoms. To say what I want to say, to practice the religion I choose to practice, and even to vote. I LOVE voting!

3 years ago, Spencer made the 4th of July even more special to me when he proposed.

I was in shock! I am seriously on the of the hardest people to surprise. I just like to know everything. I don't like not knowing. Spencer took my favorite holiday, he involved my favorite people and cheerleaders and he asked me to marry him. It was amazing! This was actually the first year in 4 years that I actually watched the parade because I had always been in the parade as a coach, and this year was different. But I loved being there with Ani watching it. She has really only been in parades as well as opposed to watching them.

2 years ago, I was in labor. I would have loved for Aniston to have been born on the 4th of July, but in true Ani style, she almost gave me what I wanted, and instead came 1 day later. I don't know why this is the only picture I can find of being in labor, but you get the engagement day picture from 2011 and in labor picture from 2012.

Last year I was coming to terms that my baby was going to be 1 the next day. Seriously that is such a shock for your baby to turn 1! Can we just talk about how great it is to celebrate the last day before your birthday on the 4th of July? Aniston is one lucky girl!

This year, I am pregnant with a little boy and I have a beautiful daughter who is about to be 2! I'm still in shock! I am so blessed!

Aniston was very excited when I explained to her that it was America's birthday today! So how about I leave you with the cutest video ever!

Happy 4th of July!!!