Happy Birthday Samantha

Samantha Delilah was born this day last year at 12:10 AM weighing 7 lbs 8 oz and 20 1/2 inches long

Samantha had a great birthday and was spoiled by family and friends.

Here she is putting together her new wagon with Daddy (notice she is trying to get Dad to use the instructions):

Samantha is starting to say more words

And Elmo is teaching her how to dance!

Happy Birthday Samantha!

Thanksgiving

My parents came up for Thanksgiving this year and we all went to the Fess Parker Double Tree for a T-Day Brunch. Samantha enjoyed the hotel lobby. She went around with her remote control clicking at everyone.Please note, we did not allow Samantha to wear a super dark shade of lipstick.We just let her enjoy a chocolate dipped cookiePapa enjoyed the crabuntil it bit him in the nose.Grandma performed a toast to the holiday and Samantha's birthday tomorrow.Samantha went around to all the other diners, greeting them with a big smile
Papa bought Samantha a cute puppy at the hotel gift shop that resembled Windy.
Mommy's girl is turning 1 tomorrow :)

Almost Birthday Girl

Samantha's actual birthday (11/28) falls on the day after Thanksgiving this year which is a hard time to get a birthday party together because most people are out of town. We also are in transition this year with the remodel, move and I have another knee surgery next week, so we decided to forgo a big 1st birthday party bash and instead have a few friends over for a birthday play date.

And now to the cupcake eating pictures...... I must say Samantha definitely has a sweet tooth. She dug into her cupcake and then proceeded to eat everyone else's cupcakes. I am pretty sure she had 4 cupcakes.

Our little party animal stayed up until 9 PM last night and then crashed with her new birthday bear.

The Zoo

The Santa Barbara Zoo never gets old. Buying the annual pass is one of the best investments we have made. Samantha and I like to go and have a picnic lunch and then check out the lions, giraffes and the gorillas. And now that she is walking it is even more fun - the animals have become second fiddle to the play area.

Here is one of the two gorillas. I actually feel sorry for these guys and most of the animals. They seem sad in such small spaces. A zoo keeper actually told me that he thinks the gorillas and many of the other animals are bored and depressed.

My little chickadee: