It All Started with a Little Skittle...

 Santa was in a hurry, he left a mess!   We love our girl  A happy family  Christmas morning was a busy time...actually the entire days was very busy.  Gabby woke up, we woke Daddy, and then went down stairs to see what Santa brought.  Gabby instantly knew the gifts from Santa were for her.  She went directly to a small one, picked it up, and began tasting the wrapping paper and playing with the tag.  She played with her wrapped gifts while mommy got dressed and cooked the homemade cinnamon rolls.  Once everyone began to arrive an hour later, we opened gifts from Santa, a few from mommy and daddy, and Grandma and Papa.  Then, Gabby took a long nap and then graced us with her presence.  We instantly began opening gifts when she woke up, but the sea of gifts was still overwhelming.  We continued to open gifts ALL day long.  We started opening at 9:00 in the morning and officially finished at approximately 3:00 in the afternoon (with

Christmas Eve was an eventful day.  First we went to church and saw "real" snow that was man made.  Gabby LOVED church, they played a lot of loud music and Gabby would dance and "sing" along, it was adorable!  Then, we went to Grandma and Papa's with Grandma and Grandpa and had a gumbo dinner while visiting with Chelli, Aaren, Nanny, and Aunt Ellen.  After eating, taking a nap and socializing and tasting yummy treats we gathered around the computer to educate Gabby on how Christmas is supposed to go! Her cousins, Cate, Reagan, and Molly Skyped and we watched them open their gifts!  It was a lot of fun watching the fun of opening gifts.  Gabby was very tired so after we finished watching the cousins in Japan celebrate Christmas we headed home to get ready for Santa.  We set out milk and cookies (which Gabby took a taste of) for Santa on his special plate and then went to sleep so Santa could come. 

Gabby celebrated her first Thanksgiving in Dallas with Grandma and Grandpa McIlroy, Aunt Sharon (with Brody in her tummy), Uncle Lee, Emma, G.G. McIlroy, and of course Mommy and Daddy.  The entire week we were in Dallas we were busy with days filled with fun! Gabby's first Thanksgiving (on Thursday, actual Thanksgiving) was an intimate gathering.  She enjoyed her first tastes of turkey, cranberry sauce, and corn.  She seemed to like all of the different flavors and loved the company.  The next day we we had our SECOND first Thanksgiving!  We went to Great Aunt Donna and Great Uncle Kenneth's house and celebrated a late Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving (for Gabby at least) started off rough.  A lot of family members she was not familiar with were there and Mommy and Daddy left only a moment after arriving Mommy and Daddy left for the park to play football.  Apparently Miss Gabby Girl cried the entire 45 minutes we were gone! Poor Grandma, Grandpa, and everyone else who had to endur