Mikayla takes her first steps

Christmas Lights

Every year we go with our friends Randy and Rachelle to this street in Chandler to look at Christmas lights. Every house is decorated and it is one amazing street. There are usually droves of people coming on buses to walk along the street and look at the beautiful lights. Unfortunately this year we went on the same day as the rain and so some of the lights had shorted out, but it was still beautiful and I think Mikayla really loved it too.

Mmm Chocolate!

Christmas Morning

Santa Claus

This week we had a family outing to the North Pole (a.k.a. Superstition Springs Mall in Mesa, Arizona) to go see Santa Claus. The line was not that long, but the wait was about 2 minutes too long. We brought the right amount of snacks, drink and toys, but Miss Mikayla had reached her wait limit about 2 minutes before we were ready to visit with Santa. She first just stared at him and then when I tried to put her on his lap the claws came out and she grabbed a hold tightly and didn't let go of me. So we tried to ease her into it by first chatting a little with him and sitting on mommy's lap next to him and then maybe sliding her from my knee to his knee.... NOPE... didn't work. In the end we settled for a family photo with Santa.

Starting out in line at the North Pole. How tall are you Miss Mikayla?

Taller than 2 feet but still under 3 feet.Having some snacks while waiting in line. Mikayla was fascinated with mommy's coffee cup. She always wants what is not hers.Playing with her little penguin while waiting. Getting reacquainted with Santa Claus. The last time she saw him she was only 5 weeks old and asleep the whole time. It's no wonder she doesn't remember! Trying to make the quick switch while at the same time distracting her with Santa's snow globe. Her face is starting to turn red and the water works were in effect.

I guess you just can't force the kid. But she was all smiles on my lap. So we settled for a group Santa photo. (notice Mikayla's Kung Foo grip on mommy's arm - she wasn't letting go!

Mikayla turns One

Mikayla turned 1 on November 1st, 2009. Where did the year go? I had intended to post these the week of Mikayla's birthday and already I am 6 weeks behind again. So without further ado, just a few birthday pics from her 1st birthday party. We opened up our 3-car garage and had tables and chairs and the food set up in the garage. Then in the front yard we had a Magic Castle bounce house and a couple ball pits for the kiddies to play in. The weather could not have been more perfect for being outdoors. We had balloons and party favors and hats and I am pretty sure all the kids had a blast.

First one in the bounce house was Alex Hendrix (my friend Tara's daughter).
Mikayla loves balloons. She also loved the bounce house. There was some static in the bouncy house... the girls' hair was standing up all over! Alex (3 years old) and Mikayla playing. Mikayla was not so sure about her cake and had no desire to smoosh her hands in it. So we had to feed her little bites... sheesh what a princess!

1st Broken Bone

On November 17th Mikayla fell down and broke her arm. There was nothing different about her tumble other than that she just landed the wrong way on her arm. (I've heard of people breaking their ankle while walking and misstepping off the sidewalk). We took her to the ER immediately where they X-rayed her arm and then put it in a splint and a sling. The very next day we saw the Orthopaedic and they casted it...Hot Pink! Mikayla only had to wear the cast for three weeks and it was off on December 10th, just in time for all the holiday festivities.


Nov. 17 - in triage waiting for the ER Doctor. Mikayla was so wiped out that she fell asleep on Jon.

In the hospital waiting room, awaiting the X-ray results. Loving on her favorite teddy bear in mommy's arms.

Back from the hospital in a splint and sling. Waiting for the Doctors office to call.

Nov. 18 - At the Doctors office where they put the Hot Pink cast on Mikayla's arm. She wasn't too happy about it.

Nov. 26 - Playing in the kitchen at Uncle Pat & Aunt Alysia's house at Thanksgiving.

Dec. 10 - Not even bothered by the cast. She managed to get around OK. Mommy and Daddy and friends at daycare also signed the cast. HAPPY the cast is coming off already!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Halloween Bumble Bee

Mirror Image

Pumpkin Festival

On Friday October 23rd, Miss Mikayla, Grandma Mary and I went to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens (located near the zoo) for the pumpkin festival. They were only having it for 4 days over the weekend. It was a beautiful warm day and we had a lot of fun. We were greeted at the entrance by a little band playing music; Mikayla loves music!

We parked our stroller and hopped on a Hay Ride to take us out to the Pumpkin patch. At the pumpkin patch we could walk through a Hay Maze, pet the animals in a small petting zoo and pick out our very own pumpkin for decorating. Mikayla didn't like the feel of the straw on her legs so we put down a blanket and surrounded her with pumpkins. She loved it. Miss Jamey Zurawski and her kiddos Simone and Quinny met us out there too.

Miss Mikayla and Grandma Mary at the Botanical Garden entrance listening to the band play music.

The Hay Ride to the Pumpkin patch.Miss Mikayla and Grandma petting the little black pony... she loves animals.Surrounded by Pumpkins!Miss Simone picked out her pumpkin and was ready to decorate!Quinny picked out a much larger pumpkin than his big sister!

Mommy and Mikayla at the Pumpkin Festival.

Having a great time!Pumpkin carvings at the festival. Very intricate designs...

Mikayla in the Kitchen Video

Visitors from Germany

At the beginning of October we had some visitors from Germany, Mikayla's Omi and Opi (grandparents). They arrived on the 7th and departed the 12th. We had a wonderful visit and it was packed full of things to do. The weather was perfect for outdoor shopping and so we trekked to Anthem for some outlet discounts while some of the guys played golf. We had some fun dinners including a stop at BWW for some delicious wings, La Casa Blanca for some tasty Mexican food, a BBQ at our house one night and an afternoon at Uncle Patrick's for some Bear Meat burritos. Mmmmm!~ Mikayla enjoyed a lot of play time at home and also swinging on her back patio swing. We played games like LRC and Mexican Dominoes and just hung out and shared stories with each other.

Alysia and Jon watching during the "Left, Right, Center" game. Having a lot of laughs with friends and family.

At BWW for some wings.

Miss Mikayla hanging out with her Opi. Think she just woke from a nap.

Opi, Mikayla and Uncle Patrick. Miss Mikayla is fascinated by beer bottles.

Swinging on the back patio.

The amazing play kitchen at BWW. Mikayla was very entertained for a long time.

Omi and Mikayla on a shopping excursion. Miss Mikayla had some crazy hair that day!

Our trip back East..Connecticut & New York

Jon was in New Jersey for 2 weeks for job training from the end of August through the first week of September. After Labor Day (spent in Show Low), Mikayla and I made the trip back East to meet up with Jon and visit friends and family.

This was Mikayla's first trip on an airplane. She did really well. I had so much stuff with me though, it was definitely a lot more challenging to carry a baby, stroller, car seat and three carry-on bags through security, down the jet way and onto the plane. I had help from Pat Myers getting to security and from Ang Clukey getting through security and to the gate. My system of kid in stroller draped with bags and me carrying the car seat through the handles on one warm worked great until I had to give up the stroller at the end of the jet way. WOW, I don't think I've ever had a tough time getting to my seat before this...the amount of stuff made it a little overwhelming. I was sweating! And the US Airways Hags, excuse me, flight attendants, didn't even offer to help even though they saw me struggling. I did have one passenger get up and help me, what a gentleman! Turns out he had a 5 month old, I think he felt my pain!

Jon picked us up and we drove right to Jon's favorite little pizzeria, Colony Grill where we met up with our friend and house host Matt Blanchard. While in Connecticut we got to tour Jon's old neighborhood and show Mikayla where Jon grew up on the water. It was a really windy day but it was a lot of fun. We spent a lot of time with friends Ryan and Laura Equale. Ryan and Jon were college roommates and co-captains on the UConn hockey team. Jon was the very first recipient of the Silver Bowl award. We had fun learning about what that actually meant from the coach of the hockey team at the UConn Men's Hockey Reunion, celebrating 50 years of Men's Ice Hockey. The university honored all players from the past 50 years and invited them and their loved ones to a reception and the UConn football game. We had a great time. We even ran into Jon's Aunt, Uncle and Cousin (Cheerleader on the UConn Cheer squad). Dinner at Bidwell with them and friends Brian Ward and Linda as well as Magdalena and Grandpa John. It was a fabulous day.

One afternoon we were able to drive out to Long Island and visit our other good friends Jon and Michele Rowe and their beautiful daughters. Jon and Jon were roommates and teammates when they both played for the Pensacola (in Florida) Ice Pilots, an East Coast Hockey League Team. We had such a great time with them too.

We rounded out or trip with a stay in New York City, at Grandpa John, Oma Lili and Auntie Mags apartment on the upper East Side overlooking the East River. We had a wonderful stroll to Central Park, through the Central Park Zoo and down 3rd Ave where there was a street fair that stretched for blocks. In the evening we had a fun dinner at a German restaurant. It was such a short visit but packed with lots to see and do and we just had a blast hanging out.

The day we left we made a quick stop in Times Square.