Happy Holidays (part 2)

Here are some photos from our various Christmas Eve and Christmas celebrations!  We didn't get a white Christmas...but we did get some snow the day after!  Can you believe that Gavin had never seen snow before?  Last winter was so mild (thank goodness), but it's looking like this year will be filled with quite a few snow days!  It's a good thing our little man loves getting all suited up to play outside.  These photos are from our Christmas celebration with the Dowd family, cookie decorating with the Berg family, Christmas morning as a family of three, and Gavin's first real experience with snow!  HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and yours!  Here's to a fantastic 2013!

Happy Holidays!

After Thanksgiving comes Gavin's birthday, and after Gavin's birthday come CHANUKAH and CHRISTMAS!  Being an interfaith family comes with challenges, but it's pretty special to be able to share in each other's traditions this time of year.

We obviously haven't celebrated Christmas yet, but a few weeks ago we were able to celebrate Chanukah with my parents.  For our big gift, my parents watched Gavin so Stephen and I could go downtown for Sunday brunch at the Hilton Netherland.  We love having brunch there -- it reminds us of some key moments in our relationship, like the weekend we got engaged and our baby shower.  Plus, you really can't beat their eggs benedict.  :)  (Yummmm!)   Honestly, sometimes it's just nice to get dressed up and go downtown!  Later that evening, we had dinner at my parents house -- chicken, latkes, homemade applesauce -- it was really special and delicious.  After we were good and full, we lit the menorah and opened presents as we waited for the candles to die down.  Gavin loved opening presents, though he tended to like the wrapping paper and boxes more than the actual gifts.  With so many gift-giving celebrations in December, he's becoming a real pro at ripping apart packages!  We sure missed my sibs and their spouses this year, but we've been blessed to see them as often as we have lately.

 

Stephen's favorite holiday is Christmas, so we are excited to celebrate that next.  His stocking is hanging on the mantle for me and Gavin to fill, presents are wrapped, cookie recipes from Pinterest are ready to be baked!  I'm sure we'll have lots of photos to post of Gavin elbow-deep in cookie dough.  Until then...HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and yours!

Pinch Day Cake Smash

Because we celebrate birthdays for a whole week in this family...here are some photos from Gavin's pinch day cake smash!  We had meant to do this on his actual birthday, but we got a late start coming home from the mall and didn't want to give Gavin a sugar rush right before bed.  So, we developed our theory that a cake smash is good ANY day of the week!  :)  Our little cutie certainly agreed.

After every good cake smash comes a bath...but it wasn't quite bath time yet, so Stephen put Gavin in the sink.  :)

Gavin's Birthday Celebration!

On December 3, 2011, our baby boy came screaming into the world and changed our lives forever.  I can't say enough about how much joy Gavin has brought to our lives this past year, and I really can't put into words how much he has helped us grow to become more patient, more selfless, and filled with a kind of love we hadn't known before.  It has been the most tiring year of our lives, but every sleepless night feels worth it when we look at our one-year old and see what an incredible, funny, handsome little boy he has grown into.  I realize I've never shared Gavin's birth story, and maybe when our toddler slows down enough to let me really reflect on the events of my labor and delivery, I'll share it...but right now, I have to get back to chasing around a child who insists on getting every single toy out.  I wouldn't have it any other way!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our sweet son!  We couldn't be luckier to have you as ours!

My friend Amy took these adorable photos of our birthday boy!  Believe it or not, he was having NONE of it that day.  I'm so happy she managed to get him smiling.

My sister-in-law Erin helped me take these at Swain Park on Thanksgiving!  We wanted him to look like he was in a hot air balloon about to float away...but some of the balloons popped.  :)

Gavin's girlfriend (and her Mommy) came over for a pre-birthday playdate!  Gavin loved his new Little People farmhouse, but more than that, he loved cuddling with Alli!

A little unsure about his cake at first...

...but soon he learned to love it!

Just a little light reading in his new chair from Grandma Sallie and Grandpa Steve!

Working off a sugar high!!!

Stephen and I took off work on Gavin's birthday to take him to the aquarium!  He always has so much fun looking at the fish.

Gavin blows raspberries...

...Daddy blows raspberries!

Such a fun way to spend our little man's birthday!

We finished off our trip to the aquarium with lunch at Tom&Chee's.  Gavin loved his special grilled cheese sandwich!  HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!