I like birthday's, and the fourth of July, and Thanksgiving, and New Years Eve, and Martin Luther King Day (because Casey has it off), and Valentines Day.... but I looove Christmas... (ok, I actually looove birthdays too, and Easter... well I really love most holiday's, but for illustration purposes just go with it...) This Christmas was no different... well it was different... but still extra special. It was different because for the first time I was not in Iowa for the Holidays, I was not shivering in the cold, I was not with my in laws and I did miss having Christmas with them. I was not with my aunts and uncles and cousins on either side, and I missed them too.
It was special in a different way though because we were celebrating the arrival of Caius and at the same time celebrating the birth of Jesus. It was also special because for the past two years our family has not been complete. You see, the first year Clinton was away from Hilary and from us. We didn't know him very well, yet we missed him during the holidays. We did try... we set up the computer with him on skype while we had dinner... but not quite the same. The next year both Hilary and Clinton were celebrating away from us all the way in South Korea, and even though we tried to have a Christmas in May... it was missing some crucial Christmas spark. First we were missing one, then we were missing two, and this year we gained 3! So, while we missed people back home, we weren't missing those three this year.
We (meaning my parents) rented a house in downtown Savannah to have our Christmas. It wasn't decked out for Christmas, but we did our best...
The palm tree is the new Christmas tree... didn't you know?
Irelyn got her own baby this Christmas... she likes to copy what she sees... except for the upside down foot hold... she has not seen that demonstrated
"Gee thanks for this baby... if I don't have my paci, she shares with me!"
She also loves her real baby... from 3 feet away she starts her kisses and keeps going til she gets her lips on him. And, if she just can't get close enough, she just grabs his clothes to pull him closer. She'd go for the foot hold on him too if she could.
Irelyn has her own purse now with everything she needs to go in it... money, a phone, lipstick, keys... she's totally set.
We had a great Christmas. We had fun giving our gifts, and baking cookies, watching cheese Christmas movies, playing games, and being together. Like every year it went way to fast, but gave us great memories to have forever.
Now, enjoy the chaos that ensues when you put a 15 month old with a 1 week old for a cousins Christmas picture...
"Don't help me!"
"What can I grab?"
"This baby moves! Why doesn't mine move?"
Here's the good one...
This just isn't enough for me... come here little baby!
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When we got home from Georgia we had our own special Christmas with just the three of us. I have to admit, I have a super hard time cutting off the gifts that I want to get for Casey and Irelyn. I don't think it's in a materialistic way, but I really love thinking of getting them things to get. Needless to say I had a ton of fun shopping for both of them, and I did find a cut off point.
Lame... I know... I took a picture of our food...
Such cute pictures. Seems like yesterday we were in GA celebrating and having a good time. Will never forget Irelyns' kisses for Caius- that was so cute! Next year he probably won't want anything to do with kisses :)
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