Only in Florida... for the Northerners out there!!!

Only in Florida will one day be a balmy 80* where a one year old can go swimming in his pool, and the next day...

have to be all bundled up!!!

And to end this short post, a cute video of Corey blowing kisses!!!

Corey's First Haircut

After attending the Eid day festival, we decided it was time to get rid of Corey's mullet and the little bits of whispy hair that we going over his ears and getting in his eyes. We needed to get some thigs from Walmart, so we got his hair cut there. The poor girl cutting his hair was shaking like a lear, I don't think she has cut a baby's hair before. Not to mention, it was not very easy keeping his head still.

This is him after the haircut. He looks tired because he had gone all day without a nap!!!!

Eid Day

Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr‎), often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "to break the fast" (and can also mean "nature", from the word "fitrah"); and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated starting on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal.
Eid ul-Fitr is a three day celebration and is sometimes also known as the "Smaller Eid" (Arabic: العيد الصغير al-‘īdu ṣ-ṣaghīr‎) as compared to the Eid ul-Adha that lasts four days and is called the "Greater Eid" (Arabic: العيد الكبير al-‘īdu l-kabīr‎).
Muslims are commanded by the Qur'an to complete their fast on the last day of Ramadan and then recite the Takbir all throughout the period of Eid[Qur'an 2:185 (Translated by Shakir)].



This past Monday Chris and I attended a festival that we were invited to by one of Chris's former students. It was a lot of fun and it was interesting to experience another culture. It is something we want Corey to experience throughout his life. We live in an area with a very limited culture, so the more we expose him to, the more background knowledge he will have. As teachers we realize how important it is that students come to school with a wide variety of knowledge. Not to mention, as the people we are we don't want Corey to grow up with any prejudices!!!

Yup, there is a monkey there, and Corey did not even notice!!!

Fingerpainting

Yeah, so we ATTEMPTED fingerpainting. My intention was to put his handprint on the thank-you cards from his birthday party. I got two cards done before Corey decided the blue paint looked like some sort of yummy blue goo. I made sure to protect our furniture and the floor, but ended up with blue paint all over. I guess we will be waiting until after the "explore everything with the mouth" stage before we try this again!!!

The Christmas Parade

Yesterday Corey and I attended New Smyrna's Christmas parade with Aunt Molly, Alex, and Alyssa. It was an interesting evening as the parade was SCHEDULED to start at 4 p.m., which we thought was a little late for a parade. Well, here is how it unfolded. Like good parade go-ers we arrived around 3:45 p.m. so as not to miss the beginning of the parade and find a good spot. Well it turned out that as soon as we came out on Canal St. both Alyssa and Alex so friends from school, so we hung out there. We were happy to begin with...

While waiting for the parade Corey read some books, and...

was entertained by the beautiful Alyssa, and...

Had a snack, and...

Got sick of his stroller, and...

Played with Aunt Molly, and...

Looked in store windows, and...

Said "hi" to the people around us, and...

Got really fussy, and wanted a balloon that was outside a nearby store, and...

Gave this face to the lady standing outside the store, and ...

Got a balloon from the lady, and played with it for a little while before FINALLY (one hour late)

The parade started, well kind of started, the motorcycle cops entertained the ever impatient crowd by doing circles on their bike, then the REAL parade started.Alex and Alyssa sat so well during the whole thing, even though people kept standing up in front of them...

The highlights of the parade were our congresswomen, Sussanne Kosmas, and of course...

Santa Clause

All in all, I do have to say, the parade was NOT worth the hour wait. Although I am sure the kids would disagree :)

Decorating for Christmas

So, after Coreys party (days after) it is time to decorate for Christmas. I got all the decorations up after Corey went to bed, but he got to help me put the decorations on the tree. He actually did put some on the tree, but he took more off than he put on. His favorite ornament is a snowman that says "Special Teacher" on it.

This is the result of Corey "helping"

Corey's First Birthday Party

Corey's birthday party was a HUGE success!!! He had fun, we had fun, and to the best of my knowledge, everyone who attended had fun!!! So, here is a picture journey through the party:

The awesome cake made by Corey's most awesome G-ma!!!!

Corey helped prepare for the party by throwing balloons everywhere!!!

The decorations: treat bags for the kids, Corey's first year picture frame, a slideshow of photos and videos from Corey's first year, wish cards for people to make wishes for Corey, Corey's babybook, and the Corey A to Z book I had made free through snapfish!!

Yummy muffins also made by the wonderful G-ma.

Pigs in a blanket, pre-cooked

Party favors, cause everyone wants a picture of Corey on their fridge!!!

Corey meeting Ashlyn for the first time (well, at least the first time Ashlyn is alert enough to notice)

Corey did an AWESOME job opening gifts!!!!

Chris, looking on, making sure no one gets out of hand!!!

Uncle Will, he was a HUGE help with taking care of the presents AFTER they had been opened.

Some of Corey's gifts (I am getting on those thank you cards this weekend)

Uncle Will putting together the Pow-Pow-Powerwheels that the Fulbright's so generously got Corey.

Aunt Diana and Aunt Sheryl picking up the mess Corey made opening gifts... it was really bothering Sheryl

Corey getting ready to dig into his cake

Yeah, it gets worse

I can't beleive how much he ate!!!

Dirty boy...

Off to a bath

Yeah, not pretty!!!

He absolutely LOVES baths!!!

He was a happy boy after all that sugar!!

I know that face and position...

It resulting in this... Yes, that is poop in there.

Time to brush the sugar of those 5 teeth!!!

Lovin' my cute, clean boy. That is a cute outfit from Aunt Diana and Uncle Will

Corey gladly went to Uncle Jack as long as Daddy wasn't around

Yes, this gift is GREAT on my back!!!