Mackenzie's 1st Birthday

Birthday breakfast, she gets the traditional pancake breakfast!

"I'm all dressed up for my party!"

I know, we had enough cake to feed an army!

It's almost too pretty to eat!

Her first taste.

She likes it!

Uh, oh....big MESS!

Okay, I know this is placed randomly among Mackenzie's birthday pics, but it is related. We ended the party a little early to go and see Gabby's art work that was picked to go to the Houston Livestock Rodeo for the school district. Her picture recieved a blue ribbon of excellence! We were so proud of her!

Present time!

"Um, I think I'll just stand on this one instead of opening it!"

"I love you, Gido!"


Mackenzie's party was a success! It was a small affair with just family. We had lunch, ate cake, and opened presents. We moved quickly, but for an impatient little one-year-old, the pace was perfect. Also, we needed to get up to Dulles High School to view Gabby's award winning artwork. I wouldn't miss that, but I was so torn. I guess that's what happens with multiple kids. You have to split your time. Mackenzie didn't know the difference and we had the best of both worlds. We are so blessed to have our little Mackenzie in our lives. I can't believe it's been a year!!!! It has gone by way too fast! She grew up over night! I am so glad she came into our lives! She makes me so happy! I love her little personality! I love how sometimes for just a quick moment, I feel like I traveled back in time with little Gabby as my baby. She reminds me sooo much of her! I love her little blonde hair, so different from what we expected from a quarter lebanese child! I love her strong death grip on anything that she want to hold on to and not let go of. I love her playful nature. I love how she adds so much to our family! I love now that she walks, she just wanders around our house getting into mischief. I love how she has become so attached to me that when I leave a room, she follows me worried that I might leave the house. I love how she tries to wash her brother's back and head in the bathtub. I love the way she savors food that she loves. I love how she is such a little lady because she prefers a fork for messy food. I love how she was my earliest walker. I love that as soon as she was mobile, she would make her way to the front door when daddy came home. I love the way she bear hugs any stuff animal or baby doll. I love seeing her smile at me through the slats of her crib after a good nap. There are so many things I love about her! I could go on and on! And, I can't wait to be there to watch her grow into a little girl. She is so precious and adorable and we love her tremendously!!!! Happy Birthday, Mackenzie!

Happy Birthday, Wild Thing

Alex in his "wolf suit"

King of the Wild Things!

Mackenzie was enjoying her lunch!

Boy stuff!!!

Girls just want to have fun!

The post is a week late, but, hey, it's been a busy week and Christmas was a looong post. And, I felt it was important to keep Alex's birthday separate from Christmas. It's hard having a smashing terrific Christmas, the kind where you're feeling you need a few days just to let all of the excitment simmer down. Well, for the rest of my life, this can't happen!!!! Why? Because I have two precious children whose birthdays fall 3 days after Christmas and 2 weeks after. As I am writing this, my decorations for Mackenzie's 1st birthday are on my kitchen countertop. We aren't done yet! Meanwhile, every nook and cranny are crammed with toys, etc... I'm rambling. Anyway, Alex' s birthday party was a success despite the fact that we had to postpone it a couple of days due to both Gabby and Alex having strep throat!!! But, atleast it gave us a little more time to set up for his wild things party! I loved the theme of his party because Alex reminds me so much of the character from the book, Max. He is truly my little wild thing, but I love him. Alex really enjoyed having his party with all of his cousins and his friends. I think this was his first party that he really understood it was his birthday. Of course by this point he is on toy overload, but he still tore through those gifts like a pro. At the end of the day, I'm glad for all the happy memories and that he had a good time. I can't be completly relieved being that Mackenzie's party is Saturday, but it will be a much simpler party with just a few family members, so atleast I won't be sewing and decorating til the wee hours like Alex's party. I go overboard and I don't know why! What can I say? I just love putting together my kid's parties! But I'm ready for a break... Here's more...

Christmas Season

Meeting Santa at the Country Club

Gabby performs a Christmas dance at Robins

Gabby's party at school

Time to bake sugar cookies. First they had to clean the cookie cutters. If only I could get them to do dishes more!

Mackenzie has become quite a little walker and talker!

LOOK at all those COOKIES!!!!

Gabby loses her other front tooth!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!!!!

Baby's first Christmas present!

Christmas Eve morning we each opened one present!

Hannah and Emma visited our house!

William and Alex playing in his room!

Look-a-likes

Setting out cookies for Santa

Santa came!!!!

Baby's first Christmas!!!!

Most of the Hooper cousins take a picture!

Sometimes you run out of tables and the floor works just as well for an indoor picnic!

Christmas lunch

Opening presents=chaos

Mackenzie gets a basket of babies!

Alex was sick on his birthday, poor guy. Happy 3rd Birthday!!!!

Trampoline, a new Christmas present!

Alex opens a few new presents!

Aunt Shannon and Mackenzie at Grandma's house

"Look, I match the furniture!"

Gido reads "The Night Before Christmas"

Gabby loves her new guitar! Rock on!!!

Grandma shows Mackenzie the new see-saw!

Well, this has been one of the busiest Christmas seasons!!! Being a mother at Christmas time equals work! This work includes, decorating, shopping for gifts, hiding gifts, wrapping gifts, setting out gifts, trying to find a place to store the new toys in my already busting at the seams house! And 3 kids at Christmas, means triple the presents! I still enjoyed every aspect that encompasses the Christmas season from the family slumber party, baking sugar cookies, visiting Santa, looking at Christmas lights, shopping alone with Chad, setting out Santa, watching our kids see what Santa brought, visiting with family...it was quite a season! I look forward to it every year, and I also somehow crave normalcy. And, after spending the whole day yesterday taking every Christmas decoration down, I'm almost feeling normal. We're all feeling a little sad that it's over but we're on getting ready for Mackenzie's 1st birthday, so that will be a lot of fun for the whole family!