Birkley George Simon, son of Scott and Manda Simon, Tipton, and winner of the 2011 First Baby of Moniteau County Contest, will celebrate his first birthday Jan. 4 with a doggie-themed party.
"Birkley seems to like dogs and even woofs at them, so we thought it was only appropriate to celebrate with dogs," Manda said.
First-time parents Scott and Manda agree Birkley has brought more joy into their lives than either could have ever imagined.
"Being a parent is 10 times better than I ever expected," Scott said.
"I knew it would be great, but I had no idea how great it would be," Manda said. "In fact, quickly after Birk was born, I knew I couldn't drive to Jefferson City for work anymore and leave him for so long, so I applied to the Tipton School District and was blessed with a position at the elementary school. It's been wonderful! By making this switch, I gained three hours a day with Birkley."
For more of this story check out the Dec. 28 issue of the California Democrat.