We went all out on the menu and so I thought it only fitting to go all out on the table as well. The day was perfect all around. We spent the day cooking while everyone watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade followed by non stop football. The weather was perfect, sunny with a little chill in the air. There were walks, puzzles, and an attempt to play a big game of monopoly with a cash reward from Uncle Joe.
Mabel just did her thing, walking from room to room, checking everybody out. I loved watching her get tossed around by her cousins. That's something I miss, being away from family, so when we get to see her spend time with them it's a treat.
Half way into the day we realized that this was Mabel's first Thanksgiving. I guess we forgot that this time last year we were still desperately awaiting her arrival and didn't have much of a Thanksgiving.
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| 2011 Best Thanksgiving yet! |
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| It's only appropriate to have an adorable first Thanksgiving dress. |
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| Why would I eat when I can play with this placecard? |
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I found Gleason and Hampton playing with Mabel in her room. They really got a kick out of her birdie sign and that became the theme of the trip. |
After staying up most of the night, we left Sunday morning around 8:00. No children were forgotten might I add. We were off to San Diego for Mabel's 1st birthday vacation extravaganza! The drive was great, Mabel had Mama and Daddy all to herself for 5 hours. About 5 minutes to our hotel, she finally decided she was sick of this whole, stuck in the carseat thing, and started to get fussy. We unpacked, took baths, got dressed and headed out in search of food. We ended up at a swanky seafood restaurant called SeaRocket, normally not the place to take a baby but our baby is into stuff like that. She can sip wine flights and eat tapas with the best of the hipster crowd.
We called it an early night because we had family pictures on the beach in the morning and boy were we excited!
Monday morning we arrived right on time to meet the photographer. The beach was amazing, the fog was just lifting and the waves were crashing into the rocks. It was the most perfect "Seeing the ocean for the first time" you could imagine. We even saw 2 dolphins swimming by at that very moment. Mabel was mezmorized, she didn't take here eyes off it or the smile off her face, the entire 2 hours we were there.
Pictures went well. By the end of the session Mabel was full of sand and her dress was wet from running into the tides. As was I, covered in sand and soaking wet, from keeping her from swimming away. She was a crazy person but it was the most adorable moment watching her so excited, so unaffraid, and in complete awe.
We decided that after that experience it was only right we spend the rest of the day near the water. We headed to what can only be described as heaven on Cornado Island, the Hotel Del Cornado.
This was one of the best days I have ever had. Hotel del Cornado is this old, beautiful, nostalgic resort set perfectly on the beach. I have never been there before, but I imagine we went at the best time of year. There was sun and sand and Christmas everywhere! I'm talking like decorated palm trees, christmas carols over the loud speaker, and even an ice rink over looking the ocean. What more could you ask for really.
Mabel loves birds and I love how she acts when she sees them. Her head and arms flail about, while litterally squaking at them and doing the sign for bird. She picked the sign up at a music class I take her to once a week where they teach babies to sign along with the music. Then after they fly away she looks at us and laughs like she is saying, "can you believe those crazy birds?" It's so awesome.
After lunch we went down to the water to let Mabel play and explore.
I loved this moment so much. I don't know if it was the fact she would be turning 1 year old tomorrow or the Christmas music playing faintly in the backround but I have to admit, there were a few tears. I was thinking about the past year and how each day, has been filled with so much joy and happiness. All because of this little person who looks so small standing in front of this great big ocean. This is definately what being a Mama is all about. There is no greater feeling then watching as your little one exudes pure wonder and joy, This is what you live for.
The next morning the birthday girl woke up and was all smiles, well mostly anyway...
After eating breakfast we hit the zoo where Mabel was really all smiles.
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| She loved the bird pond, there were flamingos and more! |
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| She had the right idea. |
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It was so fun to see the real live animals we so often read to her about. It was the best birthday Mabel has had yet :)
Later that evening, after a quick nap, we headed out for some BBQ at Phils, in our new shirt from the zoo and matching saddle shoes to compliment the panda.
The next morning we woke up early to say bye bye to the beach. We collected a few more shells and a bucket of sand for Mabel to take home. It was cold, but fun all the same.
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| She looked so big running around in the sand. |
When we got home from our relaxing fun vacation, of course reality settled in. Piles of Laundry and more to do than ever. It only took a day or two for our heavenly vacation to seem as though it happened last year.
I have yet to vacuum the sand out of the car, I am keeping it as souvenir.
We're in Christmas mode now, our tree is up and filling our house with that old familiar scent I love so much. I am trying to make Christmas for Mabel, as special as I always remember it to be, with my own own spin on things of course. I figure I have a few years for trial and error, so if things don't go as planned, I'm not going to stress. In due time we will have our own set of traditions for this time of year.
