Ellis' Birthday Celebration

So I totally took the easy way out on Ellis' birthday party this year.  There are a group of Mom's that meet a couple times a month on base.  The kids play and we chat.  Normal 'mother of small children' stuff.  Anyway, with Ryan being gone, most of my friends living on-base, and because she's two and I can get away with it, I didn't feel up to planning to party by myself.  Instead, I asked my friends to bring a dish in lieu of gifts (best idea ever, by the way) and we sang Happy Birthday.  We met on the Japanese national holiday for celebrating the Fall Equinox, so we had a 'pumpkin' theme.  And the kids played and mommies chatted.  Good times and a good way to celebrate my little cheese ball.  Now what to do for Leyton's upcoming birthday... Ryan will still be gone -in fact, he will have managed to miss all four of our birthdays, both Mother and Father's Day, AND our 10 year Anniversary this year.  Oh well.  Not like I didn't know what I was signing up for when I married, so no grounds to complain there.  Anyway, I know a Halloween party would be a huge hit with LC and her Japanese friends, but I am just not sure I can pull it off.  Not without stressing myself and the girls to the brink of disaster.  Maybe next year.

Here are a few more pics of Ellis' eye from a few weeks ago

She kept her spirits high

Oh how we miss you, Daddy!!

Partytime for this two-year-old!

We meet in the 'party room' of a high-rise apartment on base

It was a holiday, so LC didn't have school.  She was able to come and whine about not being able to eat only cookies

Lunch

Singing 'Happy Birthday.'  She didn't cry, but she did hide behind me

Cupcake time!

E sneaking food with her friends

The kids decorated pumpkins with stickers that I got from Target a couple of years ago.  I miss Target.

They also decorated the babies that were crawling around.

The adjoining room is open for the kids to play and ride on these things.  Such fun!  Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate Ellis and her birthday!