Baby Shower

About a month ago we went to our friends' baby shower! Marcus and Marie are expecting their baby anytime within the next couple of weeks. Stephen voted that the baby is named Stephen Earl Defoe...hehe, maybe that's why he was one of the ones picked to have a toilet paper diaper! One of the games to was so fun was drawing what Marcus' and Marie's baby (name will be announced at the birth) is going to look like. With Marcus having a beautiful Caribean dark skin and Marie gorgeous blond hair and blue eyes the possibilities are endless. I really think that I had the best representation however it was funny to see people drawing the baby like a zebra or half and half...good laughs. It was so much fun as you can see from the pics and the weather was gorgeous and perfect for the outdoor event. We can't wait for this little junior to show up...so excited!

Party Time

Makenna trying out the harmonica...the harmonica
was a hit with the older kids :o) If fact it was Delaney
who was the blues queen that day.
Tolu showing Grandma Chris how to play the Maracas
Yummy strawberry cake!!!! Mommy was stealing
some for herself
Opening presents with the help of her cousins :o)
'I like uncle Dan!'
She picked the flute which means (whatever its in
God's hands) that she will become a musician...she
picked the one I wanted her to pick ;o)
Trying out the African Drum
Grandpa tickling her again!
With uncle Nikos, thia Sylvia and Tanya

We did do a birthday party for GZ and even though 90% of our guests were family we were so many we decided to do it at the club house. As a hostess...while a little frustrating when having to go to the house to get something we forgot...it was awesome first to get things out of the house, made it feel more complete and second when it was over Stephen and Dan cleaned up I went dress shopping with Jodi and when we got back we got back to a clean house. NOW THAT WAS AWESOME! The theme of the party was loosely musical which meant we had musical theme for favors, musical themed game, lots of instruments for the kids to play with. Other than that the colors coordinated with the dress GZ wore which was designed by her auntie Vasilia Luz. Towards the end of the party we also brought out a cake and celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday which was going to be three days later. Also it was a timed party...something I have never done before because it's pretty much impossible for me to start on time so what's the point...and because I don't like having the feeling that I am rushing people. However, because GZ is only ONE year old and needs a nap I just had to make sure we ended at a decent time. Everything went great especially with all the help we got for the final stretch. I am excited and looking forward for all the other parties we'll do for our preciosa.

Park

About a week ago we met up with her friends O and D at the park. It was her first time playing at the park (she went once before for a bday party but she was very prissy then) and she really enjoyed the swings and playing in the sand. I wondered why I had not taken her before!!!! It was really good for me also to hang out with a friend and bask in the warmth of the sun :o)

Celebrating 1st Bday in Disneyland

Friend T's Birthday Party

Church Friend

So she has various friends at the church however little T is one that they are just maybe a week apart so they have been in the same room the majority of the time. His mom is also a neat friend that her mommy also enjoys to see every week :o)

Sunday School

Every Sunday we make it to church...note: we make it :-) The idea is that we go to two services one where we attend as a family and the other where we serve...currently I am helping Stephen with the after service coffee refreshments when I am able to. Gabriela Zoe is enjoying the nursery...and all the workers there absolutely love her. The above picture is the day that for the first time she was placed in her tummy and instead of being upset she reached out and was having fun with the other children in the room. By now she is moving so much that the nursery workers say that they will have to move her to the crawlers room very soon...we'll see :-)

Friends

So in the middle of July my very good college friend Sandra with her husband Dan (who is not excluded of coarse from the college circle of friends :-) ) came to visit us and spend one night at our home. We had not seen them for TWO years since they now reside in Germany so it was soooo wonderful to spend time with them...as you see they also had fun with Gabriela Zoe :-)

My First Official Wedding

So why official you ask. Let me tell you! The real first one I only got to be at the reception. This one though I was there from start to finish...even at the rehearsal dinner...I was a busy busy girl :-) So I was dressed up as you see but as soon as mommy sat down I got upset so mommy stood up which made me happy...but then everyone stood up for the beautiful bride and I don't know but that upset me also so mommy quickly run out the side door so that the bride doesn't walk down the aisle with the music of my cries...really I think that she would have appreciated it...but mommy didn't think so :-) Mommy offered me to eat but I turned my head away because hunger was not the cause of my fuss...there were lots of people that I didn't know and I was curious I wanted to be able to be held, see everything and yet not be with everyone...a little princess you think :-) YOU ARE RIGHT! (It was great to be with Marie and Marcus on their special day and their celebrations also marked something new in the baby's progress...after she had her last meal of the day she slept in her carseat and when we got home and swaddled, put her to bed and she woke up the next day!!! How awesome it that?)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Friends and Family hope you have a wonderful year. For New Years we did our traditional trip to visit Charles and Kathi...my american parents. Because of Stephen's work I didn't think we were going to go this year but Stephen is such a wonderful husband and planned it all out and let me know that we get to go. So we drove Sunday evening and arrive at 10:30p.m. and we stayed until Wednesday afternoon. During our stay we did not do a whole lot besides attending the Prayer and Prophesy at the Coastlands which is also a tradition of preparing for the New Year. The Lord spoke to us like every year reminded us of His promises and gave us some direction. We also spend a little bit of time with the boys grandchildren...Stephen had lots of fun playing around with Aidan and Brennan. The rest of the time we were at home relaxing, eating and sleeping. We are so thankful for Charles and Kathi and how they always make us feel so comfortable :-) Around this time is our 1/2 year wedding anniversary so we call it our 1/2 anniversary spot...so we thought maybe next year we'll leave the baby with grandpa and gradma, but that thought was quickly given way to the fact that Kathi probably wouldn't let us come without the baby :-)