Nana Bubba Birthday Fest

Being a Nana has all the benefits and few of the responsibilities associated with kiddos.

Which is precisely why we invented Nana Bubba Birthday Fest!

An entire jam-packed weekend filled with playing, adventures,

eating treats, and all manner of spoiling of the birthday grand child. Olivia and I started at Build A Bear workshop on Friday afternoon.

Where two-year old Olivia chose a monkey she named Munk; put him in a box and drug him home from the mall.

The babies call our house Nana-Bubba-Chet's house. Only fitting that Uncle Chet gets to join in the Birthday Fest with an adventure to our favorite Farmer's Market.

Where we had a picnic (clearly Chet is having a blast here)

and munched on quesadillas!

Naturally I had to sneak in Olivia's two-year old photo shoot.

We bought the outfit from Peek.

I highly suggest if you are a Nana or a Bubba or a Mamma or a Daddy, that you shop there soon.

The outfits are to die for!

Sometimes I struggle shooting Olivia...capturing her beautiful smile and twinkling blue eyes before she gets annoyed at the camera.

One evening after dining out on Pasta (Olivia's favorite)...I happened upon this little park with the most enchanting crab apple trees.

Where we giggled,

and laughed until we could hardly breathe.

Folklore says that blowing the seeds off a dandelion is said to carry your thoughts and dreams to a loved one who is not with you.

Carefully pick one of the feathery heads from the grass;

charge each of the little fluffy feathers on the flower with a tender thought; turn towards the spot where the loved one dwells;

and blow! 

The little seed-ball will send your message faithfully! If you want to know if your dear one is thinking of you...blow again!

If there is one single stalk left on the puff, it is proof you are not forgotten. You know where I blew my little dandelion wish!

I'm absolutely positive that Olivia went down the slide about 500 times during Nana Bubba Birthday Fest.

As soon as her feet touched the bottom she squealed with delight "more slide, more slide?"

Up and down we rode the slide late and later into the evening setting sun. It's Birthday Fest, so bedtimes are not strictly adhered to...don't tell the Mamma!

I am hoping to instill in Olivia a love for some of my favorite things. I hope she learns to cook and bake and fill her home with scents of deliciousness!

Experience the joy as someone you love licks their lips and asks for seconds.

The warmth and love that bubbles from a happy kitchen!

At the end of the weekend I am happy to say that the first Nana Bubba Birthday Fest was an astounding success and fun was had by all. Now how is spoiled Olivia going to go back to normal every day life when she returns home to her Mom and Dad?