Addie Bear Turns Two

Since she was tiny, she has been our "Addie Bear". Brian was the first one to call her this, and it just stuck. So it was an easy decision to throw her a teddy bear picnic-themed party for her second birthday. 

The timing on our Christmas Eve baby's birthday party is never easy, but this year we decided to have  just one party (last year we had two) and to do it a few days before her birthday here in Raleigh. Lucky for us, the timing worked out that all the grandparents could come which made it extra special for all of us.

Thanks to a little Pinterest research, Mom's DIY skills, and our house already being decorated for Christmas, the party was pretty easy. I got a picnic blanket and some balloons, and Mom made the adorable banner and bear ears. LOVED the bear ears!

The birthday girl wore her ears about five seconds before ripping them off, but Collins loved being a bear. She even wore them the next day.

Our party lookouts found two special arrivals from Hickory...

toting peppermint of course!

 When we decided to have the party on a Sunday afternoon, I knew I wanted the menu to be casual and football-oriented. Brian's smoked turkey chili is amazing so I asked him to make that, Donna made her tasty cornbread, and I provided the chocolate cake!

 I thought the favors were so fun...mini picnic baskets with mini flashlights (for the bear hunt that would happen later), honey sticks and some honey graham bears.

I saw this bear cake recipe in a Martha Stewart magazine years ago and tore it out. I knew I wanted to try to make it for the bear party. Only problem? My cake decorator moved to Charleston. I did a trial run just so I wouldn't embarrass myself in Al's absence. I think our bear (a girl of course according to Collins) turned out pretty cute despite me making a huge chocolate buttercream mess. You do not want to know how much butter was involved in this endeavor! Mom and Collins did lots of taste tests to make sure the frosting was perfect. :)

The Kaspers and Moores arrived and we were ready to party...but first we had to make sure the Panthers stayed undefeated (they did!).

We lucked out with seasonable weather for the party...which was helpful since Jack and Collins like to burn energy when they are together. 

Our first activity was to play "pin the bow tie on the bear". Everybody decorated their own bow tie....

then did their best to compete with Jack! (Collins and I had fun painting that bear earlier in the week.)

It is my experience that there are lots of meltdowns at kid birthday parties (at least there have been at the ones I have hosted). Collins had hers during this game because she had trouble waiting to take her turn. Luckily, she rebounded quickly. I'm pretty sure everyone had a meltdown at some point during the party (due to injury, dessert desires, or tiredness) except for the birthday girl herself. I call that a success!

We had a cookie decorating station with gingerbread bears, frosting and lots of sprinkles...

Addie dropped her decorated bear on the floor...twice. And then preceded to eat it. :)

We had fun visiting and then it was time for chili (and teddy bear PB&J's)...

Next on the agenda was the much anticipated bear hunt! (Jack asked me no less than five times during dinner if it was time yet). I read them the book, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt", and they illuminated me with their flash lights (and were surprisingly very attentive to the story). Then I told them to go in the dark hallway and play with their flashlights while I hid the five teddy bears...

Mary Louise read Clue #1: "Fire it up, let it get really hot; It's a way to cook burgers that you may like a lot; Look out back, you may find a bear; But don't go pas the deck, you won't find him there!"

Full disclosure- I had a lot of fun coming up with the clues. I am well aware how dorky this is and that I get my rhyming abilities from my Mother.

There were bears hidden in the front tree, in the kitchen near the honey bears, beside the grill, in the mailbox and finally one under the Christmas tree. The kids were smart and fast- they found the bears in no time. I'll have to make the clues much harder next time.

Finally it was time to sing happy birthday to the guest of honor. It was neat because Addie just learned how to sing the birthday song and got really excited to hear us sing it to her. 

Addie gave it a good try, but needed a little help from Collins and Reeves to blow out the candles...

Addie really liked her chocolate bear cake...

Gigi and Nana looking good in their bear ears!

We weren't planning on opening presents at the party, but she opened one and then it was off to the races. I think Collins and Reeves were practicing for Christmas because they were opening Addie's presents with lightening speed. :)

Addie actually said, "I love babies" after she opened the Moore's present. How sweet is this?

Addie got some great birthday presents- a new tutu, a book, bath toys, a doll house, a Care Bear, and an adorable umbrella/rain coat/rain boots set. She quickly caught on to the joy that is opening presents. Good thing she didn't have to wait long to open a whole bunch more.

It was such a great night! The food was tasty, the games were fun, and everybody was filled with love for Addie. It was the perfect way to celebrate our two-year-old.

After the party, the girls wanted to play with the new bath toys, the new doll house and even had energy for a hallway dance party with Mimi and Baba. 

I will always remember Addie's second birthday party as a special one!