Lots of love for Daddy's 1st Father's Day

Mommy & I wanted to make Dad's 1st Father's Day really special, so we brainstormed craft ideas & came up with a really incredible project that we were sure Daddy was going to love.  We teamed up with my best bud, Johnny and his mom Laura for our craft day.  I've been teething this week & my third tooth cut on Thursday evening, but I didn't let that stop me from creating my first masterpiece for Daddy.  We headed to Michael's craft store to get all the necessary supplies: picture frames, canvases, foam boards, etc...  Mom & Laura prepped the stage (a giant tarp on the family room floor so Johnny & I wouldn't make too much of a mess), as well as our edible fingerpaint (Greek yogurt mixed with natural food coloring).  Ready, set, paint:
                                  Mmm tasty                                                               Johnny's enjoying his creation

                                   I'm enjoying my paint

                   I especially loved the orange "paint"                                     Johnny was into the green

                                                                                      TASTY!!

                                                        What a blast it was creating art!!

After we completed our masterpieces, we posed for the camera holding the letters D-A-D:  

Once our masterpieces were complete (Mom & Laura were in charge of putting all the pieces together), it was in to the tub to get squeaky clean.  Greek yogurt was EVERYWHERE -- including underneath my toe nails.  

After a full day of craft fun, our Father's Day project was complete!  Mommy really wanted to give it to Dad right away, but I convinced her to keep the surprise until Sunday morning.  Check out Dad's gift: 

 We spent Father's Day weekend in Rochester, NY for Uncle Rick's 40th birthday celebration.  Mom, Dad & I left Friday morning for the trip up to Rochester.  It took us 5 & 1/2 hours to get there -- we only had to stop one time so Mom could feed me & change my diaper.  I was a complete angel on the way up.  I took two naps, played with my giraffe & made some music with my maracas.  We got there shortly before dinner at Aunt Emily's & Uncle Rick's.  I was thrilled to get there & meet my cousins Rowen, Riley & Aidyn for the first time.  I LOVE big kids & had a blast crawling after them -- all smiles & laughter.  For dinner, I even got to try salmon (which I devoured of course).

 On Saturday, we went to Uncle Rick's 40th birthday party at Brighton Park.  The weather was gorgeous & everyone enjoyed themselves.  Mommy let me try some pulled pork, spare ribs, BBQ chicken, cornbread and macaroni & cheese from Dinosaur BBQ (famous in Rochester), as well as some of her strawberry-rhubarb snowcone from Snow Daze.  She did not let me have any birthday cake, but Dad was sneaky the night before and let me sample some cake & icing (obviously I loved it and wanted more, but Mom played bad cop and said "Not for babies").  Check out how much fun we had at the party:

After my afternoon nap, we went back to the Queenan's for our last night of cousin bonding.  We played in the backyard & made our mark on Grandma Mimi's canvases (each cousin had their own canvas & we place our handprint on the canvas - Grandma painted our names & ages on the canvases afterwards):  

 Father's Day morning I couldn't resist waking Daddy up to give him his present!!  I did let him sleep in until 8:30AM on the dot, but then had a blast getting him to wake up.  He absolutely LOVED his Father's Day gift.  Mommy gave Dad a gift as well - we will all be going to Rickett's Glenn State Park for a hike among the waterfalls in a couple weeks and staying at The Inn at Turkey Hill and Brewery.  We even get to bring Bolt & Toshio on our state park adventure - full family fun!!

Before we headed back to Philadelphia, we all went out for Father's Day brunch at Roam Cafe.  Mom ordered me "loaded sweet potato" - it was delicious (sweet potato hash, cheese, bacon, onion & tomato).  I was definitely sad to leave Rochester -- so much fun to spend time with the Queenan family & I really wish my cousins lived closer so we could laugh and play more often.  I was angelic the entire way home.  We stopped once on the way home, but Mommy & I slept for a large chunk of the drive.  

We continued our Father's Day celebration on Monday afternoon.  After yoga class, Johnny & I took our moms to the Philadelphia Horticultural Society's pop up beer garden on Broad and Spruce St.  Our Daddy's met us for an early dinner and drinks.  What a gorgeous garden! We had so much enjoying great food & trying out all the play apparatuses for kids, while our Mommy's sipped margaritas and our Daddy's sampled local brews.  

So glad Daddy enjoyed his 1st Father's Day - despite driving about 12 hours over the weekend (in about 17 years I'll drive you to Rochester for the weekend Dad).  I LOVE my Daddy so much!!  Mom & I hope we were able to convey how much he means to our family - he is our rock!