HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY GLORIA!!!

It's Gloria's FIRST birthday today!!!

Last night I hung up some "Happy Birthday" banners and put a "Happy 1st Birthday" sign on the window. When she woke up this morning and finished nursing, Rob came in her bedroom and we sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Then we took her into the rest of the house to discover the signs. And she did - immediately! She knows when something is different.

We have a few presents that we're going to let her open today, and Auntie April is coming over for a birthday dinner. We're having a party on Saturday with Rob's family and my mom's family. That's when we'll have cake, ice cream, and lots of presents. Then, in a few weeks, we'll celebrate with my dad's family.

Playing with Boomer

Just a video of Gloria and her best friend, Boomer, playing with his new toy.

Grandma and Poppa's house

This year, instead of going to Taylor to see Rob's family on Christmas Day like usual, we stayed home and enjoyed the day with Gloria. The next day, the 26th, we packed up the car with our suitcases and a big box of presents and headed across the state to Rob's house.

Gloria was happy to see everyone - and be out of the car! We first opened presents with Rob's mom, dad, Amy, and Derrick.

"A teddy!"
It's not just any ole' teddy either - it sings the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, and different songs!

"Mommy, look! I got batteries!"
(for the animal sound puzzle from Auntie Amy and almost-Uncle Derrick)

"Grandma, I picked it out just for you!"

"I love my teddy, my Mommy, and my Poppa."

Auntie Amy is ready to open her gifts!

After lunch and a nap, Gloria put on her Christmas dress and greeted the rest of the family. She had fun playing with all of the cousins. Julian even asked if she was Santa, because of her red dress with the white fur trim! Auntie Angela knitted a cute red jumper for Gloria and gave her some scarves to play with (like they do at Gymboree).

Santa Came!

"Santa came! Santa came!"

This was Gloria's first Christmas morning and she had a lot of fun. She noticed the presents under the tree right away and was ready to start opening them.

"My first present of the morning. I wonder what it is."

"It's a shape sorter!"

Gloria was able to open all of her presents with minimal help from me and Rob. Of course after each gift she wanted to play with what she had, so that gave me and Rob the opportunity to open our gifts.

"Another present! This one makes noise."

"Maracas!"

"Shake shake shake!"

I gave Rob some olive oil, an umbrella, and I put all of his Bliss 66 cds in frames so that he can hang them up and have them on display.

Rockstar!

"That's cool Daddy!"

Santa brought Gloria two books, a shape sorter, maracas, a tambourine, a drum, and three whiffle-type balls.

"Will you read to me please?"

After about half of her presents were open, Gloria was getting a little fussy so we took a break for breakfast and to change her out of her pajamas. Once she had some food in her tummy, she was ready to go again!

"Merry Christmas!"

What a curly head!
It's really only this curly after a bath or sleeping.

Rob gave me all sorts of gifts, including two seasons of Home Improvement on DVD, a photo printer, and something that has to be installed in my car so I can play my iPod through the stereo.

"A hand blender! We've been wanting one!"

"Christmas was fun Mommy!"

Our first Christmas morning as a family of 3!

Christmas at Aunt Karen's

On Saturday, December 20, after celebrating Christmas at my dad's house, we all went over to Aunt Karen's to join up with the rest of the family to enjoy yet another Christmas celebration.

This is the third year that we've done a white elephant gift exchange. Everyone that wants to participate brings a wrapped gift worth about $15. Then we pick numbers to determine who gets to pick the first present and so on. There is a lot of stealing and groaning and laughing involved and when it's all done, most people are happy with their presents. Rob was happy with what he got - a sawhorse/workbench. I got a bottle of champagne and two glasses. Gary, on the other hand, wasn't quite as pleased. He ended up with a yummy smelling candle and two different scents of lotions and hand soaps. :)

"I'm just waiting for the gift exchange to start."

"I'm so glad Ami let me play with this phone."

After the game, we had family pictures taken - everyone smiled pretty. Then we sang Happy Birthday to Grandma, since her birthday is Christmas Eve, and watched as she opened her gifts.





By the time pictures were over, Ami and Gloria were showing signs of sleepiness, so they both changed into their pajamas to open presents. But by the time she started opening her presents, Gloria got her second-wind. She opened up a book and an outfit from Aunt Betty and Uncle Keith, a music and light book from Great-Grandma, a piano from Aunt Karen and Uncle Gary, and some stampers from Heather, Adam, and Ami.

"This looks like fun!"