Happy Birthday to Anna (rather belated but still!)

Anna Elaine Baker - Born January 5th, 2007 @ 4:04 pm. 7 lbs 4 oz

Anna turned 3 years old on January 5th, 2010. My how the time flies!!

Here is a look at the first year.

A look at the second year!

A look at the third year!

Highlights from the holidays

Well, I think we have finally recovered from the holidays and birthday parties. It always amazes me how quickly Dec and the beginning of Jan just fly right by.

Most of you know, we head to WI to celebrate Christmas w/ family. Before we head out we have our small family Christmas celebration w/ Chinese food and open presents/ stockings. Anna was pretty excited this year about opening presents. She finally realizes that those pretty boxes mean she gets new toys and Boy! does she enjoy that aspect! This year her big gift (Christmas/Birthday) is a HUGE wooden doll house that her barbies can walk around in. It is about as tall as me!!

2 days later we headed to WI. In the middle of a TN snowstorm!! When we headed out, there really wasn't much going on. Just light flurries but it quickly accumulated. Unfortunately, it was enough to SLOW traffic on the interstate to a stop at several points. Ugh. Then we hit more blowing snow in IL. We were tempted to stop a couple of times (once in TN!!!) but then the road cleared up and we were finally able to reach WI. It only took us about 17 1/2 - 18 hours. I think that may have been a new record for straight through driving to WI (we've done WI to FL and WI to Las Vegas straight through before)!

(I know it doesn't look too bad but there were several points where the road was covered w/ a slushy - icy mix and the traffic was soo slow and heavy a plow couldn't get through)

WI at Christmas time was full of snow, ice, and cold but it was wonderful to be home w/ family! We got to spend lots of time with both sides of the family, eat lots of wonderful food and spend more time with family. Anna and Heidi became BFFs this year. I have honestly never seen Anna so involved with another child before and I'm so glad that she hit it off w/ her cousin. I loved my cousins growing up and have such good memories of the time we spent together.

Heidi

Anna and Heidi Papa Baker reading a story to the girls
Anna and Heidi trying out Wii Active Sports for Grandma Baker

Papa Markee

Jon testing out the Snuggie - He says it is very warm!
Classic Josh
Grandma Baker and Heidi
Jon testing out bug glasses - a gift for Anna but it looks like Jon likes it as well!

Grandma Lee helps Anna with her presents.
Cousin Destiny
Aunt Nancy and Heidi

Papa Dennis and Anna get creative together

Pure joy from the holidays - When was the last time you laughed w/ such abandon?

Jon and I were also able to slip away for a couple of nights and have some "us" time. That was wonderful! We scrimped and saved and stayed at the Wilderness Resort for 2 nights. We really enjoyed ourselves. Jon especially loved the lazy river and I talked him into this ride called the Hurricane. It was so exhilarating!! The wave pool was pretty awesome as well and there were plenty of other rides to keep us busy. The room was nice but I thought it could have been better (you could hear others through the walls), especially for the money - but I guess we were paying for the waterparks (which I am just fine with). The day we checked out Ashley brought the girls out and we had a little fun w/ them at the waterpark.

You can't beat the swings!!

The huge bucket of water empties on the poor, unsuspecting people below.
Ashley and Heidi on the lazy river
Fun on the slide

And finally, the birthday parties. I feel bad that Anna's birthday is so close to Christmas (especially as I have used that as an excuse to get her "big" gifts and call it the birthday/ Christmas gift) but a nice thing is that she gets to have a WI family b-day party, a mini-celebration w/ just the 3 of us, and last but not least, celebrate w/ her TN friends. Needless to say, she thinks presents and getting toys are more of a daily/ weekly event because of it! LOL. I think we finally have her convinced that there will be no more presents for a while. :-)

Anna's FIRST birthday cake

Anna's SECOND birthday cake (she picked it out - and yes, it is as delicious as it looks!)

And the THIRD and final birthday cake, luckily I can blame my weight gain on Baby Emmett!!

Okay, I leave you (finally) but I promise another quick blog of her birthday w/ pics!