Happy BIRTHDAY!!!!

Here was the birthday morning stash from me and Zack, Super-Gammy and Grandma/Pop-pop Mischinski. There was lots more to come. We trekked out to Fuquay for a multi-functional gathering (Christmas gift exchange, boys going shooting, graham cracker house decorating, birthday celebration, etc). I baked two cakes - one for everyone to eat and one for Mara to smash. The one for her to smash looked like this:

It was a vanilla cake with an icing recipe from the "What to Expect the First Year" book - cream cheese, raisins, gelatin... it was interesting, that's for sure. I couldn't get the raisins to chop up in my food processor and I was too fed up with baking at that point that I said screw it, she'll deal with whole raisins. And we spelled Amara using the name Amanda and bought an extra R. (Zack's doing and cheaper than buying individual letters.). And no, we didn't light the candles. This is Zack's kid we're talking about... I didn't want to risk injuries to her OR the observers. Although Mara was much more interested in the beer than her cake...

And within a few seconds, she was done!

So we didn't torture her for too long.

Here's a live version of the action:

But after the torture was over, she was completely entralled with all of the gifts that her wonderful aunties and uncles brought her! I mean, have you ever seen a happier baby to be the center of attention with a present?

And the camera focused on the wrong object, but check this out... she removed the bow, then did this...

And then tried to put it back to the way it was...

But she got lots of beautiful clothes and great books, and a bathtub toy which she has already enjoyed!

Thank you to all of her aunties and uncles for making her day so special, for her and for us!

Her birthday was definitely out of this world! On her super retro rocket!

To get an idea of how much she loves this rocket, check out the videos:

And here's what she's had us do the last few nights. She just can't get enough.

And finally, today we had a Christmas and birthday gift swap with the Dardens.

Check out this stash!

Keep in mind there are items here to all those present, plus some from the great-grandparents. Whew! We had a GREAT time! Although Miss Mara had a 101.4 fever all day and was miserable. :( 

I wasn't able to get pictures of all the great presents, but she got some beautiful clothes, a really cute cow hat (from Super-Gammy!), she loved the caterpiller teething ring and some stuffed animals (Elmo, Snowman, and the learning dog from Claire and Travis... although I think Endo is attracted to it because she was touching the different paws to hear him talk/sing... yikes).

 Merry Christmas! And stay tuned for her 12 month photos... I haven't had the chance to take them yet, and she hasn't been in the greatest mood for them either.

Icy Weather Delay

We've had a lot going on over the past week. We had some icy weather conditions which delayed daycare and work one day. I took advantage of some of the extra morning time with my baby! She did some stair exercises.

Helped me with my picture taking by holding the lens cap.

Patrolled the house - keeping a watchful eye on the neighborhood.

And she got the mail!

Although since it was a birthday present, she had to wait to open it. So she tried on her winter coat in preparation for our trip up north in a few days!

We are so excited, we can hardly keep our clothes on!

Teddy Bear, Super Gammy, and Updates

We had a wonderful visit with Super-Gammy on Sunday! She came bearing gifts!

Mara enjoyed opening it herself. She was very grateful for the crinkly tissue paper and gift bag. That's really all you need to give her to make her happy.

But once Mommy pulled out the reaaal present... she did this...

I am so sorry for my flash facing the wrong direction! And she did this pose several other times but I never caught it on camera. I'm not sure if she thinks that this is her version of a hug or of affection, but she does this to people and her stuffed animals. She crawled forward and touched her head to the teddy bear's head.

The teddy bear sings and bobs up/down. Mara clapped when she was done singing!

Thank you, Super-Gammy, for a wonderful gift. When we came home today, I played the song for her again. She then sat with the bear and touched the flower on her clothes and the plastic jewel in admiration.

My Christmas decorating has been limited by someone who wants to grab everything and is now tall enough to do so.

I left all of our breakable ornaments and decorations packed away so that WHEN the tree gets pulled down, we stay safe!

A few things she's been amusing us with:

• A bathtub letter made it's way downstairs and she tries to stick it to the fridge. It won't stick, of course, without water, but it doesn't stop her from trying.
• Zack will put her at the farthest end of the kitchen in order to buy us time to get something done, but her crawling speed has increased so drastically that I swear you could clock her and she leaves little dust trails.
• She had a mini panic attack at daycare when the fire alarm sounded. She turned beet red and her head started sweating and she couldn't be put down for 15 minutes afterwards, so we're told. (MY POOR BABY!)
• She is quite the social baby at daycare and frequently gets to sit at the front desk with the director. She waves at people and blows kisses. Lots of kisses.
• I tried on her big warm winter jacket I bought at Old Navy and she crawled around like a marshmallow with legs.
• She will refuse a bottle and fake cry and look/gesture at your plate. She knows what Mom and Dad are eating is way better. And MAN she pigs out!
• I caught her and Daddy watching the end of a movie this evening, Mara happy as could be with a whole graham cracker in her hand, gnawing away, watching Sherlock Holmes.
• She does love to snuggle soft stuffed animals. As soon as I present her with one (and she's tired), she'll clutch it to herself and press it to her face.
• She is turning into quite the climber! Made it halfway up the staircase today (me following one stair behind of course!) and climbed completely on top of an unopened diaper box. Seeing such a little person perched on a box in the middle of the kitchen floor... well, it's interesting! Of course she quit doing it once I got my camera phone. :(
• We have a wooden rudolph the reindeer head wall decoration with a big red pom pom nose (from the Dardens). She will crawl past it (mind you, it's normal height), and point at it to be lifted to see it. She'll proceed to touch his nose and talk to him. Sometimes I can even get her to touch her nose when talking about noses.
• Speaking of talking, she jabbers on and on and on throughout the day and kind of hums herself to sleep at night. Daycare said that she just talks and talks and points and points all day, to which Zack interpreted:
• YOU - change my diaper
• YOU - get me toys, more toys
• YOU - find my binky
• YOU - feed me!

Her ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY IS ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, where has the year gone? Be on the lookout for our Christmas letter and picture! :) Happy Tuesday.

Videos - December

I know I already posted a picture of us using the suitcase, but it's so much better to watch her travel in style.

And nothing too interesting happens in these, but she babbles a lot.

I'm such a lady

Mommy says I'm such a little lady.

I mind my manners - I don't slap people's faces, I don't drool everywhere and on everything, I don't fart on Mommy as she pulls me out of the tub and make her panic that she's about to catch a poo in her lap...

Hehe... okay, maybe I do those things...

But at least I look cute doing them.

And just like a little lady, I went shopping today for my first official pair of shoes! Mommy said that THIS was no longer acceptable.

It's a good thing they had some other items for me to browse because the salespeople were busy.

You over there... do you have that in a 2 and a half?

Yes, that's right. She's a size 2.5. The salesman says a typical 12 month old is around a size 3.5-4. So someones ski's aren't as bigfoot-esk as I thought! We had to scrap the original shoe choice which only came in a size 3 (with velcro). We ended up getting some white/pink shoes with laces which is probably better anyway since someone doesn't like shoes on her feet. Sorry I only got a phone picture of the bottoms.

She has to be wearing shoes to advance to the next class in daycare... so I guess we have to start conditioning her. PLUS she really needs to keep her tootsies warm since it's been cold outside...

See?

Yes, that's snow! We enjoyed our first snowflakes of the season while leaving the shoe store. Mara and I had fun time watching the flakes out our front door, and then blowing on the glass and wiping finger marks alllllll over.

We got so bored today, that we ended up opening a birthday present... whoops!

We love YOU!