HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY MATTEA!

One year ago today, on December 5, 2007 our baby girl - Mattea Joy joined our family at 2:06pm. It was a wonderful labour and delivery and we were blessed with a beautiful daughter. Mattea weighed 6lbs, 6oz at birth and was 20" long. Mattea spent 8 days in the hospital due to high bilirubin levels, spending her days under the phototherapy lights, and had a potentially life-saving double exchange blood transfusion.

Just minutes after her entrance into the world.

Mattea spent 8 days wearing her "shades"

Day 5 - after her blood exchange transfusion.

Home Sweet Home

Today, Mattea is a busy girl - army crawling and rolling to get to where she wants to go or who she wants to see. She shares her smiles easily and lights up a room with her giggles. Just last week she has figured out how to get from lying on her back to sitting, climbed the step into our kitchen and has pulled herself to stand (with a little help) once. She loves to stand, but does not like to let go of our fingers! She loves her brothers dearly and squeals with delight when they play with her and shower her with their affections. She also loves her blankey (or Kiki as we call it here). She eats well - given what she is able to eat. I think she probably weighs about 17-18 lbs but I will find that out for sure on Monday when we head to the pediatricians for her check-up. She has 3 teeth (2 are just poking out).

Mattea in her BabyLegs - too cute (Nov 2008)

Bath time - December 2008

Today we are hosting a Snowflake birthday party with family and close friends. Since she can't eat cake, she will have an applesauce cup to get messy with.

The table is set for a party!

Cupcakes for the rest of us.

Yummy applesauce. I don't know if Mattea will ever let me feed her - she had lots of fun!
Playing dollies with Papa.

Mattea - we love you and are so blessed that you were gifted to our family. I love how your brothers love you and care for you. And you reward them in return with smiles, laughs and wet kisses! We pray that you will have a wonderful second year as you continue to grow and learn.

We love you, Mattea! Thanks for blessing our lives.

Thank you to our family & friends for the wonderful gifts for Mattea and for spending your evening celebrating with us. Mattea is so blessed to have all of you in her life.