Our First Christmas as a Family

Richard can attest that normally I like to argue with commercials or tell them how dumb they are, or innaccurate, or how I am not going to be sucked into their commercial scheme, but this year, inexplicably, I fell in love with a certain Kay Jewelers commercial that featured a family experiencing their first Christmas (you know the one...the husband comes into the family room to find his wife rocking their baby to sleep, and he just can't wait to give her a watch, or a bracelet, or chocolate diamonds...whatever). The sentimental part of me recognized that this was also our first Christmas with Anna, as a new family.

It started off with a plane trip. I traveled with Anna on my own to St. George with Richard to follow in a few days. I was so nervous, especially with how disruptive it might be on Anna or if she would be one of those babies on a plane that no one wants to sit next to. Well, Anna showed me!! In her usual rock star baby mode, she made everyone fall in love with her-- cooing and smiling and not making one peep during take off and landing. And she slept for most of the flight too. On the return flight, I could hear the general mummurs of adoration as we walked down the aisle together to find our seat. Everyone wanted to see her, to know how old she was, and commented on what a good baby she was.

We gave this toy to Anna in preparation for her first airplane flight. Its her "I can do hard things" peacock. His name is Jacque by the way.

Richard is thinking of switching professions, from Accountant to Master of laughing babies (or an Mlb)




Anna loved opening her presents! We only had a few things for her, but she had a ball....(literally) opening them. We figure that Christmases this simple will only last a few years until she can start requesting things like a pony or Barbie's dream start up company...


In true baby fashion, the only way to christen a new present, is to try to eat it!
probably won't fit this year Anna....but keep trying!

Our niece Natasha loved her cousin Anna. Perhaps Anna will be her protege and together they can conquer the world together.MY contribution to Christmas was making gingerbread men for the kids to decorate. It took me hours, HOURS to make the dough, roll it out, design a cookie template, cut out each cookie, bake them in batches, make frosting, gather candy decorations.....and it took them about 5 minutes top to decorate and then abandon the poor gingerboys!

Richard, Anna, and I got to go on a donkey carriage ride on Christmas day. My stepdad Mike is the handsome one in the middle, but only slightly less handsome is his donkey Yoti (get it....donkey yoti!! Just say it together fast and you will chuckle).No, that is not a trick of your eyes. I seized the opportunity to chop off most of my hair. Now when I shed hair in the bathroom, they will be shorter strands!

more to come on Christmas a little later....this is just to whet your appetite!