Yup, they're really 2!

i just spent way too much on photo books, bc i am incapable of editing pitures of my kids. sigh.
i've been trying to keep up to date with our photos so we actually have albums instead of thousands of pictures on the computer, & i've been doing a fairly decent job, but i tend to buy in bunches, & like i said, i cannot edit.

it was my boys' birthday today, & we had a little family party for them. the dudes loved it, & we kept everything very chill. the grandparents (at least my folks), their aunt, & my cousin were our only guests & they still managed to get plenty of gifts. (i may have an inability to edit when it comes to gifties as well...)
the only annoyance for me today was my dad's continual griping over the amount of presents they got. (let me insert here, that they really didn't get TONS of stuff-- but every book was wrapped individually, etc, & when toddlers open gifts it tends to be a loooong drawn out process involving a period of playtime with each new thing before they move on to the next present, as any parent with a toddler could attest to.) anyways-- i got fed up with his insistance that it would have made more sense to give them empty boxes & told him in no uncertain terms to shut up & leave if he wasn't enjoying himself.
he quit the complaining after that, & i know he actually did enjoy himself, he just had to b*tch about it bc that's his way. the thing is-- i do NOT enjoy the b*tching. i hated it as a kid, & i hate it even more as an adult. parties are parties & they are meant to be fun. toddlers cannot be rushed & birthdays involve gifts, it's just how it should be. it irks me that i have to give my 63 year old father lessons on how to behave at a birthday party for two 2 year olds.

aside from that little snag, it was really a nice day, & most importantly-- the guys had a great time & loved being the center of attention. i could go on here about how far they've come, & what it means to me to see them grow a little more independant each day, but if i start down that path i'll shortly be in tears. so instead i'll just close with a wish that as my boys grow they keep some of the sweetness & shy charm that is so a part of their toddler selves. it's been a wonderful 2 years, & i can't wait to see what comes next!