First Birthday Festivities!

Our little Gabbie Grace turned 1 on January 21, 2010. I took the day off to spend it with my birthday girl!

First stop was to Daddy's school. We took Minnie Mouse cookies to share with the students...

and some of the secretaries and the nurse...

And then we went to Mommy's work! We shared Minnie Mouse cookies there too and even got presents from the way cool ladies I work with!

Next stop... Gabbies friends at the babysitters!

Had to share cookies with them!

Finally, home where we enjoyed Gabbies favorite food, cheese pizza!

One last cookie to destroy! Who wants to eat a cookie when you can just play in it?

That was Thursday. Then on Friday, Grandma Dianne, Papa Chuck & Gabbies cousin Sid came out to celebrate. We went to the Star where Sid said he had the best steak EVER! He even took a picture of it and sent it to his mom and brother to make them jealous.

Saturday morning started by cuddling with Papa Chuck and Grandma Dianne!

Then Grandma Vicky and Grandpa Charles came over! We began the official birthday celebration! We had a Minnie Mouse theme as that is one of Gabbie's favorite characters. While she was napping, we put up some banners and decorations. Kiley asked if these were for me or for her. I told him probably more me... but technically both. However, when Gabbie got up and came saw the decorations, she literally ooooohhhhed and aahhhhed! My mom then pointed out that they were indeed for Gabbie! She loved them so much we left them up for

a week!

We had tortilla soup! It is one of Gabbie's favorites!

Then we had presents...

Gabbie loved opening all her presents!

Can you tell which one was her favorite? She loves a snugs, any snugs... Here she is with her big old grin and Minnie Mouse snugly.

And felt like she was the queen of the world! She even sat up high on her chair, which she knows she is not suppose to do! But hey, it's her birthday!

On to the cake!

She wasn't really sure what to do with it. But with Daddy's help, she figured it out! At least she figured out you play in it. Again, why eat cake when mom and dad will let you attack it?

Daddy made sure Gabbie ended up wearing it all over her face! She had a wonderful time, it was priceless!

After getting cleaned up, it was time to say good-bye to the Tate clan!

After all was said and done... All Gabbie wanted to do was snuggle with her daddy on the couch. The party girl was tuckered out!

The next day, Gabbie got to snuggle with Grandma Vicky...

before they headed back to Utah!

Thanks to everyone who made the trek to help us celebrate Gabbies birthday! She is lucky little girl who has so many people who love her!

Gabbie had a great first birthday! I can't believe my baby is 1! This year has gone by so fast, so full of memories and wonderful first!

Gabbie had her 1 year appointment this past week.

She is currently:

22 lbs 6 oz

29 3/4 inches long

most importantly, healthy, happy!

Here is to the next year! Oh, Gabbie, how you have blessed our lives! Thank you for all the joy you bring to us!

WE LOVE YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABBIE GRACE!

I can't believe it has been a year since Gabbie was born! She is 1!!!

Oh, what a year it has been! Truly, she has been so incredibly easy since the moment she was born. She has added so much to our lives and to our family.

Here are some things about Gabbie now!

She loves her daddy! Lights up every time she sees him.

If he is downstairs, she will sit at the gate at the top of our stairs and yell "Dad!" over and over again until he comes up

She can say dog, hi, dad, mom and uh-ho

If I am stern with her (like when she is standing up in the bath), she will say "hi" but totally in a tone that says she is making sure I am not mad at her

She loves her bath - always has

Favorite food is blueberries

She has 5 teeth, 3 on bottom & 2 on top

She loves playing with other kids

She loves books - we call her a speed reader since she likes to flip through the pages as fast as she can

She can point out where mom and dad's noses are

She can point out Bobo in the book "Hug"

Loves Patty-cake, especially rolling and tossing it!

She loves her dogs!

Started really walking this week

Loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - especially the Hot Dog song

Loves to dance

Great sleeper - when she is tired, she literally dives for her bed

Has only been "sick" once, other than a couple runny noses

Oh, how we love our little Gabbie Grace. We are so grateful she is happy, healthy and such a joy to be around!

What a year it has been... looking forward to all that lies ahead!

Gabbie is Walking!

Here she is in action. She went from taking like 2-5 steps to this in a day!

Go Gabbie!

Christmas 2009

Finally, our Christmas Post! We headed to Utah this year for Christmas! First up was AVATAR on the Imax screen in 3D. Kiley and my nephew Sid had been waiting for this for a very long time! I did not want to go and Kiley literally made me go, taking me kicking and screaming. I LOVED IT! I highly recommend it to all!

Then we had the traditional Christmas Eve at my parents. It was a small gathering this year with just my sister Becky and her husband Joe, my brother Coray and his family, and Kiley, Gabbie and myself... and of course, my Mom and Dad.

We had a wonderful ham dinner and a fun Christmas Eve. Gabbie loved playing with her cousins! All of them are so good to her!

Gabbie playing with her cousins, Kelsey, Sid and Jackson.

Time to open presents!

Can you tell Gabbie is teething? The tongue is a dead giveaway! If she is teething, it is always hanging out!

Christmas Family Photo - 2009

And because Gabbie was so good this year, Santa came!

Her favorite gift from Santa is the purple polka dotted chair! I swear she had climbed in and out of that thing no less than 1,000 times!

She also loved the dog she got from her cousin Anna. It goes everywhere with her! She now has to have her snug and her dog to go to sleep! ("Dog" can be seen in the lower left corner in addition to a number of other photos and videos.)

Gotta love that hair!

After opening Santa gifts, we headed up to Grandma Vicky and Grandpa Charles. Yes, the chair got to come too!

There we opened MORE presents! This girl is spoiled!

Gabbie with her Grandma Vicky!

Here is some video from Christmas morning!

Bath Fun!

Gabbie's latest game for the bath!

After Christmas Fun!

Eating breakfast with a portion of the cousin gang, Paige, Jake & Kelsey!

Gabbie also loved playing with her cousins!!! My sister Amy and her kids, Jake & Paige came down from Idaho after Christmas. I absolutely love watching Gabbie play with her cousins.

Hanging on the couch with Paige!

Check out that cheeser on Gabbie! This pic cracks me up!

Paige reading to Gabbie.

Daddy and Makenna getting in on the action.

Check out the skills Gabbie learned while at Grandma Dianne and Papa Chucks this Christmas. I have to say I was impressed that she mastered the stairs so quickly!

And some random fun and cuteness!

Early Christmas with Grandpa Larry!

We headed to Utah for Christmas again this year. But we had to have an early Christmas with Grandpa Larry! So the Sunday before Christmas, we had an early celebration.

Gabbie quickly realized she loves opening presents...

and eating the paper that accompanies it!

She even helped Grandpa Larry open his!

And she sure loved the Minnie Mouse that she got from Grandpa Larry! She LOVES Minnie and Mickey Mouse... but even more, she loves her Grandpa Larry, who is so very good to her!

And what early Christmas would be complete without some entertainment from Dallas? He liked the ribbons too, once he was able to get 'em!

Why Haven't I Been Blogging...

'Cause this is pretty much what we have been doing around our house!

Yeah, we had to go back to work today, but this is what we as soon as we got home from Christmas in Utah and we didn't stop until we had to!!!

More posts to come... I promise!