Happy Birthday Samarah!

It's hard to believe, but Samarah turned one today! I know this is quite cliche, but I'll say it anyway: Samarah's growing up so fast!

To celebrate the occasion, Samarah invited her friends and family to her birthday party, held at IKEA. We had a great turnout, and a great (we hope) time was had by all. Kaniz and I had originally planned to do the party at an indoor gym, but when we saw that the new IKEA in Vaughan allows you to host parties in their cafe area, we decided we'd try it out.. and we're glad we did! Despite the fact that we were surrounded by hordes of IKEA shoppers, we had lots of private. clean space with lots of natural light, yummy (catered and homemade) food, and most importantly, great company! The best part was that setup and cleanup was minimal.. so the next time you're trying to think of a unique venue for a baby shower or a birthday party, try IKEA!

Once we got home, Samarah had a great time ripping up all the wrapping and tissue paper from her gifts. I think the actual gifts are secondary for her at this point - she really gets a kick out of the paper! After her dinner, we also let her try eating a cupcake on her own.. and my little girl did not disappoint - she, as they say, went to town! I will post some pictures later this week as proof.

Overall, Kaniz and I are chalking the event up as a success.. thanks again to everyone who came out and spent their afternoon with us.. and for those of you who weren't able to make it, we missed you! We really feel lucky to have such great family and friends in our lives, and Samarah is very blessed to be surrounded by so much love.

Pictures (from the party and before) coming soon!