The big ONE!

Before I get started on Eliza's first birthday, I would like to announce that the day before her birthday she began to stand, unassisted! She isn't walking yet, but we are TOTALLY okay with that. :)


Eliza's birthday was a really fun day! Chris worked a half day so that he could get some good quality time with Ellie. Eliza lives and breathes for her dad. She just loves him (I can totally see why, he's a pretty awesome person :). She was so excited to see him walk through the door in the middle of the day!

Birthday morning breakfast: Whole wheat blueberry waffles, blueberries, and milk.

Around 10 a.m. we heard a knock on the door! We opened it to see Aunt Suzi with a gift for the birthday girl! Hooray!!! Eliza liked the tissue paper and the super fun books inside!

Birthday girl with Mommy! Uncle Rodger and Aunt Kelly got that crown for Ellie when she was born. I love that they were thinking ahead to her first birthday! Ellie LOVED wearing her crown (uh-oh;).

Birthday girl with Daddy!

After Daddy got home, we headed to the mall (it was a yucky, windy day in Las Cruces so we had to nix the park). First we hit the toy train set at Barnes and Noble.

Eliza really enjoyed playing trains with Daddy.

Then we hit up the next best thing at the Mesilla Valley mall...the carousel. Not super impressive, but Eliza had fun!

She really liked the steering wheel.

Then she decided that she had enough of the carousel, and made a "B" line for JC Penny's. A girl after my own heart. :)

Eliza had her first taste of "junk" food for her birthday dinner! We got Chick-fil-a! Yum. She wasn't all that into the french fries, which was unfathomable to me, but she LOVED the chicken nuggets.

A young lady from our church came by earlier that day to bring Eliza a birthday cheese cake, yes, a birthday CHEESE CAKE. Is there any better tasty treat? I think not. It was the best cheese cake I have ever had. Thanks, Sofie!!

Daddy helping Ellie blow out the candle. Eliza kind of looks a little weary of what's going on in this picture, or maybe she is making sure dad doesn't steal a bite before she gets one.

Eliza wasn't all that into the cheese cake, but she really liked the chocolate chips that decorated the cheese cake and was perfectly happy to pound them down. More cheese cake for mom and dad! Oh darn.

Pure chocolate chip ecstasy.

Happy birthday, Eliza! You are our favorite little girl in the world and we just really like you!