Birthday Happenings...

As you all know, Kara's birthday was about 2 weeks ago, and we celebrated the big day with a party on Labor Day weekend! Nana and Papa traveled in for the occasion, along with 30 or so other guests. We rented a bounce house from the local True Value and fun was had by all!
The next day however, I was in an exhaustion coma, you know how you get so worked up for a big event trying to make sure everything is just so and that nothing goes wrong... well yeah, then the next day you are worthless because you are literally BURNT out!! So I wasted a whole Sunday away just snoozing, but that's ok because it was a 3 day weekend and the next day we went to Adventure Land.
That was probably the best day of the weekend, my parents along with Curt and I took Kara for her very first amusement park experience. I can not beleive the girl lasted 5 hours walking around going on rides, eating all kinds of junk food and watching a circus. We were sure she'd conk out on the ride home, but nope, she lasted ALL day and ALL night! My kinda girl!
Then today I attempted to take Kara all by myself to get her 2 year pictures done. I was hesitant to begin with because I literally have not had an easy experience with her at a photographer since she was 6 months old. Well, my hesitation was well deserved, it was a complete NIGHTMARE! She had been telling me all day that she didn't want her pictures done and I told her it would be fun and even tried to convince her that she would get a little surprise if she smiled pretty. Not even 5 seconds after walking into the studio she was in an all out screaming fest. I asked her if she wanted to go to time out and she replied "Ok, YES!" All of the "doggy falling off the head and laughing hysterical" by the photographer couldn't help. I left defeated. I was immaturely angry at my 2 year old for not cooperating and told her she wasn't getting her surprise and that she was going home and going to bed, she replied "Ok, YES!" Argh!!!!
Luckily, the 20 minute ride home, along with a frantic call to my mother helped calm my nerves and when we got home Kara and I had our own photo session in the backyard. Kara was a perfect subject in the comforts of her own backyard, posed in 50 different ways that I suggested and tried smiling perfectly, if only I had a professional camera I think the shots would have been better than any pictures I could have gotten from a photography studio.
Here is some of our work: