Gobble Gobble

Yes, a mere 1.5 weeks after we moved into our new house, we hosted Thanksgiving! Steve was on call almost all weekend, so we were lucky that the Jersey folks could make the drive down!

First, we needed a new dining room table that could fit everyone. Found it!


Addie helping Steve put those felt things on the bottom so they wouldn't scratch the floor. Addie loves helping her daddy :)

We decided to hit the Silver Spring Thanksgiving Parade last weekend. The view from up high.



Darth Vader float!


After awhile she got to be quite a shlumpy. We weren't sure if she was nervous from the noise, or just tired.

2 minutes into the car-ride home...we got our answer :)

Not only was Thanksgiving right after the move, but it was the first time I hosted and my first time cooking a big ol' turkey, so I was definitely nervous. Luckily, Gaga, Yaya, and Alli offered to bring food and I took them up on all of their offers, so there wasn't as much for me to do, AND we got delicious dishes from all over! Thank you, ladies!

It rained a lot early last week so to keep busy, Addie and I decided to make home made place card turkeys. First, we traced Addie's hands.

Then she made sure that they were perfect before moving on

Then we traced her feet. Now, if you're wearing footed pajamas, or "jamas" as Addie likes to call them, they've got to come completely off and you get to trace your feet in your skivvies!


Yet another costume change, timed to get dressed in real clothes because the basement playroom where we were doing the project was cold...brrr....

Then mom cuts out all the hands and feet, and Addie gets to play with glue!

The final product!

My first turkey! I followed Alton Brown's recipe which includes brining, so that was a big hoopla, but it was worth it. So juicy!

Poppy helping Addie cook her first Thanksgiving dinner too :)

General table pictures.



Burning off some of that stuffing dancing with Gaga

Then hitting the dress-up box for a fashion show. SUPER GIRL!

Ooh la la, the devil ;)

Davy Crockett goes drag :)

I am so thankful that Addie gets to spend time with her wonderful family!

And one thing that we are very thankful for--that Addie and our little boy will have a first cousin--due just 7 weeks after Indy! Woohoo! Congratulations, Doug and Alli!

How can anyone not be grateful for life when there's adorable faces like this one around?

Happy 2nd Birthday, Addie!

Two years ago we brought home this tiny little bundle of cute

You think she's grown up a bit??? :)

Because of the whole move thing, Addie's birthday celebration wasn't as big as last year, but this time she had two little parties. On her actual birthday (the 10th) we had a little celebration at home with just the three of us.

I put up some balloons and brought out the presents while Steve distracted her upstairs



And this was her reaction :)




She opened her presents...



And we went outside for breakfast since it was such a nice day.

Her friend Maya stopped by to drop off a gift and a hug before we moved.

In the evening, we decided to go out for dinner, even though Addie doesn't have the best track record at restaurants. Eh, she's 2 now, right? So we said "HEY, let's go to Generous Georges!" It's a pizza and pasta place with a ton of kid-friendly stuff hanging everywhere. We thought it would be perfect. And since Addie loves Curious George, I think she thought we were going to his restaurant :) So...then we pull up and...it's closed permanently and moved to outer Suburbia. Doh! So we say "Um, let's go to Noodles and Company which is conveniently close by" and Addie immediately starts screaming "GEORGES! GEORGES!" so Steve brilliantly says "Addie, it's called NOODLE GEORGES" and voila...she was happy :)
And so were we :) She behaved beautifully!
Then we went home and ate some birthday ice cream :)


So that was Tuesday and we moved on Saturday. And since the fam was all around to help us move, we had another birthday party for her on Sunday morning.

I think she was confused at first because...wait, didn't I already HAVE a birthday party?
But then she realized she was getting cupcakes :)
She blew it out like a champ! (she's been practicing singing happy birthday to herself and blowing out pretend candles for a month now, so she's a pro)
Singing her birthday song



Bib on...

Dig in!


He he he...chocolate....
All cleaned up and ready to open more presents!

Yaya and Poppy brought Addie a little girl's dream...a MASSIVE dress-up box!

Addie had a blast trying everything on :)



Everyone else joined in the dress-up fun too!


We call this Addie's "fairy pimp" outfit :)



And to finish off the birthday celebration, we measured her height again, which we hope to keep up every year on this beautiful poster (or at least until she passes 5 feet, which is as high as it measures ;).

Happy 2nd birthday, little one. You seem so grown up, but you're still our little baby!