Kicking Off the Birthday Week

We kicked off Luke's week of birthday celebrations this evening by allowing him to open some gifts from our immediate family before the onslaught at his party tomorrow.

A pitching machine from Grandma and Grandpa...

...and a bean bag chair (cover to come)!

Some fun space themed decor for Luke's room from Great Grammy and Papa

 And a ping pong table from Day and Paw (Luke's request when asked what by Day what he would most like)

So many thoughtful gifts already ... such a lucky boy!

Christmas Eve

We celebrated Christmas Eve here at home this year.  We had a great meal and an evening full of exchanging gifts.

 

Day, Paw, Mommy, and Daddy started off the evening for the kids by sending them around the house on a scavenger hunt to find clues that would eventually lead to their Christmas gift.  They collected a number of "clues" including a bundle of Disney movies, Mickey Mouse ears, and opened presents that contained Lightening McQueen and Cinderella sweatshirts.  It didn't take long for Luke to put together to clues that we were taking them to Disneyland!  They were both very excited ... and Mia loved her Cinderella sweatshirt so much that she wore it all night.

 

Another favorite gift came from Uncle James, Aunt Kate, Frederick, and Jacqueline.  The kids both received LeapPads.  As you can see below, they were hooked from the beginning.  Uncle Todd and Aunt Michelle set them up with some LeapPad games, and the Vitiellos took care of cases, accessories, and a few more games.  Lucky kids!

Luke was just darling this year and was SO excited to wrap up an old toy of his to give to Mia for Christmas.  This was completely his idea.  He wanted to give her his FisherPrice XL game because he felt like he didn't play much with it anymore and that she seemed to like it.  So, he wrapped it up and made her a card to go along with it.  Here he is presenting it to her.

After a long, exciting night everyone drifted off to sleep and Santa Claus came to visit!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Mia!

Hard to believe that our "baby" is really starting to become a little girl.  She turned 2 today.  I have SO much to say about her right now ... but I'll have to save that for a separate post.  This one is just focused on her little celebration from tonight.

Mommy has a new job, so Paw arrived at lunchtime to babysit and treat the birthday girl to a McDonald's lunch treat (of which I completely neglected to take any photos of .... and she then spilled her milkshake on her cute birthday girl shirt, so we may have to reenact that one).

Mommy, Daddy, Luke, Day, and Paw took our new 2 year old out to another of her favorite places for dinner:  Antipasto's.  She adores their raviolis.  I don't use the word "adore" lightly ... she really, really loves them.

After dinner we came home for some cupcakes and a few gifts.

I think it's safe to assume that the sleeping back is a hit!

Opening Luke's present to her - a playdoh ice cream shoppe

Cupcake time!

She definitely knew that it was her special day ... and loved every second of it.  She requested that we sing "Happy Birthday" more times than I can count.

Happy Birthday, sweet baby girl.  We love you more than you can imagine.  The past two years have gone far too fast.  You've brought incredible joy, laughter, love, snuggles, sass, and sweetness to our home.  Thank you for being YOU.  More celebrations to come this weekend :)

Playdoh Ice Cream Shoppe play on the following morning

Christmas Eve 2011

We hosted Christmas Eve at our home this year.  It was a relatively small group: our family, Day & Paw, Todd & Michelle, and Uncle Patrick & Aunt Louisa.  Michael made an incredible cioppino meal, complete with various fish and seafood appetizers, and we had cannolis for dessert.  Perfect if you ask me!

The kids had SO much to open this year.  I suppose this was because neither of them received any "big" gifts, so they had lots of little stuff to open.  We started them off early with the presents - while we were all having cocktails and appetizers - and it didn't slow down for several hours.  They had an incredible time and ended up heading to bed before the adults even had dinner (since we were stuffed from appetizers).  This allowed Michael and I to truly enjoy our delicious meal ... and our fun-filled adult present opening!

Plasma Cars from Mommy & Daddy

 Two Buzz Lightyears are better than one ... from Day & Paw

Mia's favorite gift - a baby stroller (or a Buzz stroller)

It was a Buzz Lightyear kind of Christmas ... a new sweatshirt from Mommy

Oh, Uncle Todd and Aunt Michelle, we SO owe you when you have kids of your own.  You always pick the most fun (and noisiest or with the most small pieces) gifts! :)  Just wait!

We are so incredibly blessed to have so much and be together with one another to celebrate Christmas.   What a perfect Christmas Eve.

Birthday Celebration Part III: The Gifts

This year, for the first time, Luke was very serious about what he wanted for his birthday. You could have asked him on any day for the past 6 weeks and he would have told you the same three things that he wanted for his 4th birthday: a scooter, a bounce house, and a water shooter. Sort of a big birthday list, especially considering the bike that we knew he was also getting.

Well, this was Luke's lucky year because his every wish was fulfilled.

A water shooter from the Zylas (as well as some very fabulous books that will help us to answer Luke's recent line of questioning about what the "other sides of the world look like" and "why it is dark in outer space" ... more on this and other Luke questions/comments in a later post!).

A scooter from Grandma and Grandpa (with a set of knee and elbow pads courtesy of Mia!).

And, a bounce house from Mommy, Daddy, Great Papa, Great Grammy, and the Vitiellos.


The inital reaction: shock


And then....

pure happiness

What a lucky (and extremely happy) little boy! Thank you to everyone for making his day and weekend so incredibly special.

The Package Man!

We love "the package man" (aka: UPS) around here. He delivers very regularly (Mommy enjoys her online shopping ... a LOT), and he's been here nearly everday this week leading up to the big 4th birthday this weekend.

Today's delivery came from the Zylas in New Jersey. Not entirely sure if they even needed to send gifts since the kids seemed to be quite entertained and completely happy with the bubble wrap!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!

On your first birthday we...

...ate breakfast - silly fruit/cheerio faces on toast (you had yours on french toast),

...put on your fancy birthday outfit, dropped Luke at school, and went to the store to buy you a BIG balloon,

... came home and you played with Brother's trains while he wasn't looking :),

...picked Luke up from school, packed a lunch and took a walk to the park,

...Luke made sure to pack you a pink lollipop,

...we swang on the swings,

...and slid on the slides,

...after our big afternoon and nap, we met Day and Paw for a celebratory dinner at Aqui's,

...and came home to video chat with Grandma and Grandpa,

...we all sang "Happy Birthday to you" and you had your first cupcake,

...and you opened some presents (a new kitchen, doll highchair, and ride on car)

What a special, fun day.

Happy first birthday, sweet Mia!