Maya's 1st Birthday

One Year ago we welcomed Maya into our family!  It has been a long year lacking sleep but filled with diapers, spit up, and a whole lot of smiles.  We have enjoyed watching Maya go from new born to toddler.  We have watched a lot of firsts, smiles, clapping, rolling, sitting, waving, crawling, cruising, talking, foods... we're still waiting for true walking but we're not in a hurry.  Maya is a happy little girl always there to cheer up our day, even on the days she's the cause for crankyness...  We have especially enjoyed watching Maya and Morgan become loving sisters.  Maya just loves Morgan and is all ready trying to keep up with her big sister.  Morgan loves to help out with Maya and she always tries to cheer her up when she cries.  Morgan has been an amazing big sister.
I think to sum up... Thank God for Little Girls! :)

Daddy's little girls

It's been almost a year!  Look how much they've changed.  (or haven't)
Both girls are growing up and turning more and more into daddy's girls!

Morgan has always been a daddy's girl ever since the first night she was with us and she held Ben's little finger.





Maya has resisted being a daddy's girl a little (probably more because her sister was hogging him) but is slowly falling for her daddy.
They both get so excited when he comes home from work.  Maya crawls as fast as she can to get to daddy and Morgan can't stop talking to daddy and dancing around.  It's a constant battle for daddy's attention in the evenings.  Though, I have to say it's the highlight of my day watching Ben and his girls!

New pet

Morgan wanted a pet so we took her to a pet store and helped her choose a pet.
She started off by the birds.  Dad says no birds they're too noisy
Then she was off to the mice and rats.  Mom says no, we all ready have enough trouble with those.
Then she saw some cats, but she remembered we had one and had to give him away so we kept looking.
Finally she settled on a beta fish (with much guidance...)

I helped her set up the little purple beta tank with a pink castle and in went the beta.
She has now named her beta Tinker Bell.
Tonight when she went to bed she had to go back down stairs.
She then hugged and kissed her fish (well the tank) good night.
I love that girl!

Maya is enjoying Tinker Bell as well.  She likes to point and say "tee" (I'm sure she means "fish").

Trip to FL/ Christmas and New Years

Morgan ready for our long road trip to FL

Maya still enjoying the trip

Getting some energy out 

So happy to be out of the car

Mom = Jungle gym

Hurray we made it to Florida!!

Hey mom, can I drive? 

Aunt Abby! 

Say Cheese: ok enough pick me up now... 

enough pictures mom lets open presents! 

really presents? 

Poppop here's a present.  

Yummy Tag

Just what I wanted! 

hey, mom does get in some pictures. 

Time for  the princesses to play a princes game

Family picture time 

Poppop and Grandma

aren't we cute (yeah the girls are cute too) 

Maya sporting her angry birds outfit 

Beautiful Christmas lights by a lake 

Morgan is trying to escape yet another picture

ok I'll pose if Aunt Abby will

Visiting great grandma Mangrich

Grandma and Maya playing

Grandma playing in the sand with Morgan 

Time to fly! 

Last happy hour of 2011

My favorite sun set picture as we drove home.   

Christmas 2011: Maya's 1st Christmas.

 Morgan started the day off by marching down stairs opening the last door on our advent tree and then declaring that all the doors are open so it must be Christmas.  Then poor Morgan had to hold it together as we made her wait till not only after church, but then after Maya's nap and Brunch to open presents.  With all the Christmas traditions, stockings, food, presents,etc... it was really neat having Christmas on a Sunday.  I enjoyed being reminded of the reason for the day with more than just a read through the story.  It is easy to get caught up in mix of things, so taking the morning to stop and worship was a great way to start off the celebration of Jesus Birth.

We enjoyed the girls excitement throughout the day. When Morgan was finally allowed to get to the presents she was bursting with excitement.  We could hardly hold her back as she ripped open the gifts and jumped and down over their contents.  Maya enjoyed eat wrapping paper, played with boxes and enjoyed her presents when Morgan wasn't steeling them.

Morgan trying to convince Maya she's done eating so we can open presents

Thanks mom for the coat!!!  

Maya opening a fun present

Opening more presents

Morgan opening her gumball machine 

Zoo Lights

 This year we went to see the Zoo Lights and it was a comfortable (or bearable) 40 something degrees outside.  We enjoyed watching Morgan ooh and aah at all the lights and Maya really was simply trying to figure out how to move in her winter coat.  Though I think I saw a smile here and there.
We were excited to find out this year that as members we could enjoy some free hot coco and family activities indoors to warm up for a while before we continued on to see some more spectacular lights.