The Merriman Tales: June 2012

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Father's Day Fun!

The weather held up for Father's Day weekend so we were able to spend most of the time outside. We spent most of Saturday hanging out in the yard with the pups and Mallory's new water table. After firing up the grill and eating some lunch, we put together the table and let the cameras roll. As expected, pups thought the table was a large water dish for them, but Mallory made sure they knew it was all for her.

We went to the Merrimans for an afternoon cookout. We fired up some steaks and let Mallory roam around the backyard. We brought the water table (without water this time) and a rubber ball that she received for her birthday. It was hilarious to see Mallory chase after the ball and give it a big squeeze. After all the fun, she immediately gave us the "tired" signs, so we packed up the car and headed home.

More videos from the weekend on the YouTube Channel!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Mallory's 1st Birthday!

Mallory turned 1 on Saturday and we had the family over for a Kung Fu Panda themed party. In case you are unaware, Kung Fu Panda is Mallory's favorite cartoon. We're not sure what it is, but when the show comes on, she drops what she is playing with and cracks right up.

Since the weather was looking a little unpredictable, we decided to set everything up in the garage. Michol did a great job getting all the food, cake, and decorations set up before the guests arrived. We had our friend Andrea in attendance to graciously help out with the photography, so most of the pictures you see below are taken by her.

Once the guests arrived, we put Mallory in her high chair in the garage and she immediately fell asleep. As more guests arrived and the noise level getting louder and louder, Mallory continued sleeping for a good 20-25 minutes.

Overall, Mallory did great the entire day. She loved all the gifts from everyone and was especially drawn to the cards that accompanied each gift. We got her cake from the Saratoga Bread Basket Bakery and placed a "Po" figurine on the top. She didn't seem over-the-moon about the cake or the cake topper, but she did try some frosting. It was hard to tell if she actually liked the taste or not. Eventually the clouds disappeared and the sun came out which allowed us all to hang out in the yard. Laila and Oscar, the entertainment for the party, put on a "show" for everyone and even gave us an encore performance. I'll just leave it at that...

Big thanks to everyone for such a memorable 1st Birthday and 1st year with our sweet Mallory! Videos of the party will be posted to the Youtube channel soon!