The last full day at the beach for the family was Sunday. The family photographer had to leave for his real job on Monday. Hannah really enjoyed running around at the Gulf Beach. Previously she had really only been exposed to the bay where there are no real waves to speak of, and the beach was fairly small. Sunday, we let her run around the beach at sunset, and she had a blast.

Every once in a while, I like to emphasize how small Hannah still is. -Daddy

It is a real challenge to get Hannah to leave her bow in her hair. We have to distract her and put it in her hair without her knowing it. Otherwise she will reach up and throw it on the ground. It is a shame, because she looks so good wearing it.

The Atkins were nice enough to give Hannah a talking Dora the Explorer backpack. The Atkins were mean enough to give Andrew and Stephanie's daughter a talking Dora the Explorer backpack.

Hannah's friends, the Atkins family, invited Hannah over for more presents at the end of the week. It was the end of a full week of opening presents. Next year Hannah is going to expect a little too much of her birthday.

Hannah got a new monkey, and really liked it.

And more presents.

Then it was off to open more presents.

Hannah did not even get any spittle on the cake. She is that advanced.

Hannah really enjoyed having everyone sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

Interesting story- After trying to teach her to learn what her birthday is all week, she finally got it. Now she is saying "Happy.......Birthday" all the time. Sunday afternoon, Hannah was in her bed trying to take a nap, while her parents were listening to her on the monitor. She started saying "Happy Birthday" over and over to herself. It was very cute.

After downing a couple beers, Hannah and her cousins were just itching to eat that cake and some ice cream too.

And Hannah really wanted some of that cake.

Then it was off to BeBe and Papa's house for her official party (July 4th). BeBe made this cake for Hannah.

Hannah found a toy from when her father was young and decided she would play with the retro toy, rather than open more presents.

G was able to get her refocused on opening presents, but Hannah still wanted to play with this wrapping paper too.

She even played twister with the wrapping paper. That is far more fun than playing with a fork!

After she opened her silver fork, Hannah insisted on playing with the wrapping paper. Despite Pop's best efforts, the attraction to the paper was just too strong.

Hannah started her actual birthday at G and Pop's house. Hannah was already to get in the water, but she HAD to open presents first. Here, she opened a piece of her silver pattern.

Sorry for the teaser last night, but I really did not have much time to post. Tonight is different, so I will post a bunch of pictures tonight...

Hannah had a great birthday. At first, it was a challenge to get her to open her presents; however, she took to it really quickly.

Hannah had a HUGE birthday/birth-week. Hannah loaded up on presents, played at the pool, and just had a great time with her grandparents. Hannah now thinks she should receive a present everyday because she seemed to all last week.
Maybe the most fun she had was her time at the beach during her 2 year old beach photo shoot. This picture is of Hannah with her newest Monkey from the Atkins family. Management is tired after driving 10 hours today and will have to put up more pictures later in the week. The pictures from the beach are well worth the wait.

While all that playing was going on in the other room, Hannah's cousin Cecilia was snoozing away in the other room. Cecilia is only weeks old, but Hannah loves being around her. Hannah is not quite big enough yet to really hold her. When she is, there are surely some pictures to follow.

Someday Hannah will be a big girl; however, right now it is a trick of the camera.

Hannah has become very affectionate lately. When we put her to bed, or randomly, we will ask her to give Momma or Daddy a kiss (Which she pronounces "PISS") and she will comply. Anyway, we told Hannah to give Little E a kiss, and Hannah proceeded to recreate the Brittney Spears/Madonna kiss. That is not what we had in mind.

And Little E did come back. You can also see that Hannah has been playing very hard down at the beach this week. She has skinned up her knee a couple times. At one point it started bleeding again, but Hannah did not mind. She was too busy playing with Little E.

As mentioned below, Hannah was trying very hard to play with Little E, but she had other plans. Hannah looks worried that Little E will not come back to play.

Hannah found a set of chairs and a small table meant for dolls to sit in. "Little E" (as her parents call her) and Hannah were able to squeeze into the chairs so they sat in them. It was cute to see them both in these miniature chairs.

Hannah and her friend Elizabeth played together almost all day yesterday. It was the first time that Daddy noted Hannah playing in a more social way. She wanted to include Elizabeth in everything. Elizabeth is only 13 months old and did not quite want to play with Hannah, just around her. Either way they both had fun playing today.

Here she is trying to get it to fall off again.

Hannah is outgrowing her birthday hat. The same one she wore on her first birthday. She enjoyed making it fall off, and having Momma keep coming back to put it back on her head.

Here you can she her dainty way she picks at the icing.

Hannah was very excited about the cake, but did not really attack it. Much like her first birthday, she picked at it a little bit. She did not really get too messy. Momma tried to get her to blow the candles out, but Hannah could not quite get them.

The answer to the questions posed below!

What is Hannah doing? Why is she so patiently waiting in her high chair? The chair she hates to sit in, instead of Momma's lap?

Hannah and cousin Cecilia were difficult to get to pose for a picture with Lauren and Great Grandmother "Gram". You can see Hannah is a ham in front of the camera.

Hannah could not sit still for her photo-op with her cousin Lauren. But she was able to keep the bow in her hair for more than a minute.

Even though Hannah was tired and did not really want to wake up, when she did she was very happy. She can tell you that she is "2", but can not quite yet show you like Daddy can.

BeBe made a cake for Hannah. Hannah's "real" birthday party is Wednesday, July 4th, when all her cousins can be with her.

Hannah is 2 years old!

Hannah has been at the beach for a couple days now. On her birthday, July 1st, Hannah was wiped out... at 11AM. She has been playing at the pool and hanging out at the beach so much that she has been sleeping in very late. Momma and Daddy had to go in and wake her up because she was going to sleep through her our birthday lunch.

Happy Birthday, Hannah! We love you!

Mom & Dad

Don't worry, I stopped them before they... well, you know. - Mommy