Best Christmas Gift EVER!!!

Pic of Kellen modeling the stork costume



Every holiday season, I am reminded just how fortunate my husband and I are to have the family and friends that we do! This holiday was no different...except for the fact that we now had the pleasure of telling the people we love that we would be helping to expand the family with an addition coming in June!!! In case I haven't made myself clear, WE'RE PREGNANT!!! Being the nerd that I am, I knew that simply telling extended family the great news would not be enough. As a result, I recruited my brother Kellen, always the life of the party and never one to turn down an opportunity to draw attention to himself, to help me out in spreading the word.

Using 1 1/2 yards of white felt, 1/4 yard of orange felt, and 1/2 yard of black felt, I created a stork costume for Kellen. Using a mixture of hand-sewing and machine stitching, I sewed together a hood with a beak and eyes, along with the body and wings. Using the orange felt, I cut out legs and feet and pinned them to the body once my model was ready to be costumed. Since we were at my grandparents' house for the big reveal, we decided to use their chair lift to help the stork in his descent down the stairs. My brother certainly did not disappoint as he flapped his "wings" and squawked down the stairs, explaining to the confused bystanders that he was a stork. He then presented my grandparents with a package that, once opened, held our sonogram pictures and a message that read "Merry Christmas from the newest addition to the Dalby family. Coming to a hospital in Pittsburgh: June, 2012." After a brief moment of confusion as to who exactly was having the baby (as I have a number of cousins and siblings, all around the child-bearing age), we revealed what we had been keeping a secret for FAR TOO LONG, and the reactions were more than we could have ever imagined! Video for further proof to come in the future!

A stand-up view of the bird himself (don't mind the elbows of others taking pics!)



BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!!!!!