Happy Birthday to Elena!

Well this last week was a busy one, filled with lots of new and exciting adventures for Elena - who turned ONE! She got her first haircut-She wouldn't sit in the chair, but did alright if she was held.

Everytime the stylist tried to get the scissors near Elena's head, Elena would whip her head around to see what was going on. Finally though, she was distracted by Aunt Samantha's cell phone.

She had her first birthday party and taste of cake (well, at least her first legal taste of sweets since I know a certain husband and certain parents of mine have cheated before)-

Watching eagerly as the presents come out...

Elena didn't really get the whole unwrapping presents thing, but Jo helped her figure it out. :)

Elena was totally enraptured by this toy phone once she opened it. (Notice how its in almost every picture.)

Examining her first dollar bill from Great- Grandma Hastings. She decided it wasn't quite as useful as the toys. :) Just keep thinking that, Elena.

After her first couple of pokes at and tastes of the cake, she didn't think it was all it was cracked up to be. She spent the first few minutes spitting it out and making sour faces.

But, then she decided it wasn't too bad, after all.

Thanks to everyone who came to the party and for your gifts - we had so much fun!

I can't believe Elena is one already! The time seemed to fly by! It seems like since her party on Friday that she knows something is different and that she has been acting like more and more of a big girl every day. This morning I went in to her room to get her up and as soon as I walked in the door she pointed down to a doll in the bouncer that she could see through the bars of her crib and said "dat", so that I would hand it to her. When I gave it to her, she hugged it and started talking to it like a good little mommy. Then, as we were walking out of the room, she pointed back at her rabbit sitting in her crib and said, "dat", again. It was so cute! She was communicating with me so clearly and it was so fun to see her little mind work and to interact with her that way. Elena has also started to dance to any and all music that she hears, to try and dress herself with any clothes that she can get her hands on, to pick up bags and purses laying around and try and carry them around over her shoulder, and to sign to us when she wants to eat something. She is also very precise about always setting her cup in the cup holder part of her highchair tray or in the cupholder next to her carseat. Even if we set it down somwhere else, she picks it up and puts it where is is supposed to go. I can't believe she has figured that out! When daddy gets home, she runs (not walks -RUNS), so fast she sometimes trips over herself, to the door to give him a hug. Elena loves her new carseat and thinks it pretty much the most exciting thing ever to face forward like mom and dad. The world looks a lot different from that point of view!

We love our big girl! Happy Birthday Elena!