We wanted to make her birthday EXTRA special without having to throw a party. So we started off by purchasing a few presents (toys) with monetary gifts we had received from her grandparents and auntie.
We kept these gifts hidden so as to give them to her on her actual birthday. Then, the night before her birthday, I decorated the living room with a banner and balloons, and placed all her toys in one area for her to discover in the morning. Also, after putting her down for the night, I tied and scattered some balloons around the house to make a trail from her room down to the area in the living room where she'd find the toys. Would have loved to post the video of our set up and the video of her reaction the next morning, but it's been difficult to upload the videos (I gotta figure this out...). Just take my word for it. Eleanor was DELIGHTED! I think she really liked all the presents. Here are the pictures of some of her presents.
Stroller and baby carrier (not shown).
Chalk and whiteboard easel.
Three-wheel scooter and helmet.
Some cool jelly-like toys that you throw on the ground and watch it "splatter" and come back to it's original shape (picked up in Perth, Australia during daddy's trip).
Soon after checking out her "pressies" we had "brekkie"and headed over to Wild Life Sydney in Darling Harbour, in the city. This is a place where tourists come to check out the animals that are only native to Australia. Even though we've been in Sydney for five years, Jim and I had never been there, and we were so glad because we got to experience the place for the first time with our little princess. :)
She is getting to an age where she really appreciates and understands the things we introduce her to. The place was just the right size for a two year old to explore in under two hours. I think her favorite animals were the kangaroos and wallabies!
At the butterflies sanctuary.
Sleeping wombat.
Big kangaroo.
Baby monkey and daddy gorilla. :)
Sleeping koala (well...they're always sleeping!).
At the end of the fun, enjoying a snack and some sunshine.
After spending the morning at Wild Life Sydney, we swung by our favorite pasta shop in Haberfield (an ethnically Italian neighbourhood) to pick up their yummy lasagna we'd serve for dinner to our church's core members whom we invited to come eat and sing Eleanor Happy Birthday. Everyone had commitments that evening since it was a Friday night, so we sang Happy Birthday first, and then dug into the lasagna with salad and bread. Here are pics of her reaction to our singing.
Check out her reaction to our singing!
Precious...
Love this video!
The food was great and the company even better! All the brothers and sisters at our church love Eleanor to bits! She is the only child at church as all of our members are young adults with none who are married, and she's well accepted and included in all the activities that go on at church. What a GREAT simple birthday it has been! I think next year we might have to throw a small party with her friends. :)
