All dressed up

...for mama's birthday! Ellie was too cute while showing off her newly acquired skill of sitting up - I couldn't resist snapping a picture of her on my birthday. She's the best present ever!

Over the river and through the woods to Grandma Connie's we go!

"I LOVE CHRISTMAS!"
- Ellie Maria Haberkern

We were so lucky to be able to spend five days in Merrimac, MA with Grandma Connie and all the Whiting clan for Ellie's first Christmas. The weather was appropriately New England, a balmy 20 degrees and snowing, and we were dreaming of a white Christmas.

Ellie helped Grandma Connie trim her tree one of the first nights we arrived. Ellie loved all the angels that adorn the tree, but was particularly intrigued by the Moravian stars, too. (Her Dad was fairly excited that E gravitated towards the stars:)

We spent Christmas Eve at Aunt Debbie's house with the Whitings and Joneses. Thank goodness Aunt Debbie and cousin Stacey had festive headgear to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

Great-Grandma Dot was instrumental in Ellie's happiness by introducing her to balloons. Ellie was beyond perplexed and amused.

It was a fun night, but totally exhausting.

On Christmas morning, Ellie awoke and seemed a bit overwhelmed by all the excitement.

There was so much fun to experience from the paper to the tissue paper to the boxes...and oh yes, the presents!

After a long nap, Ellie was ready to keep the party going. We had eleven members of the Whiting family for dinner on Christmas at Grandma Connie's house. There was lots of food, drinking, and merrriment - a typical Whiting holiday! We are blessed to be surrounded with so much love on Ellie's first Christmas.

The stockings were hung by the chimmney with care...

...in the hopes that Ellie would enjoy her first Christmas season!

December was full of lots of celebrating with a few pre-Christmas highlights:

A visit from Ethan (and Denyce and Joe). We can't wait until they move to Princeton in 2010.

Ellie's new favorite activity: eating solid food! Favs include butternut squash, oatmeal, string beans, and parsnips. She is still quite dubious about cauliflower and surprisingly, apples.

Celebrating Nannie's birthday! Nannie and Gung usually come once a week to spend the day with Ellie. We turned this visit into a special one by going out to an early dinner and coming home to chocolate cake and champagne .

Lots of lazy lounging around at home

Christmas tree decorating and college basketball season - Go Heels!

We can't wait for Christmas...

Winter Wallop

When the Jersey weather said to expect a "winter wallop", we never expected so much for Ellie's first snow - a solid 14 inches! Our friends, Brooke and Dustin, got snowed in with us on Saturday and by Sunday morning, we were able to take Ellie out to enjoy the great outdoors! I think she didn't know what to do with her Dad plopping her down in the cold, but hey, she was pretty cute (red nose and all!)