Holiday Season, Part Two

The holidays are more than over, and we are just now getting them documented. This has been a hectic time with lots of changes for our family: relocating and all that goes with it, a new teaching job for Mom, continued schooling, etc., etc., etc. Our Christmas celebrations seemed to be hurried and we lost some of the excitement in the stress of "survival." It did allow me to continually ask myself "What do I really need to get out of Christmas?," and thus rid most holiday commercialism from our worries.

Just before Christmas, we made an attempt at a matchy extended-family photo shoot. As usual, Mia would scoff at all our efforts to get a smile...until we give up and put the camera away. THEN she won't stop smiling! Here is the closest thing we got.

As we all are, Mia is quick to squeeze her squishy baby cousin, Sydney.

On Christmas Eve', Mia (and her assistant, "T") spent a long time consulting

Aunt Mary on the importance of hair care.

She also demonstrated to Aunt Brittney the right way to "Wellie."

Christmas morning in our temporary basement bedroom:

Mia received such sweet gifts from grandparents, aunts, and friends.

Here are some of her spoils. Beautiful doll and books from our literature promoting Great Gma...

(All the "exciting" wooden puzzles are from Santa...)

A cute hat and "pack-pack" from Aunt Jasmine...

A "fort" from Gma/Gpa R...

An art easel from Gma K...

A trip to the indoor water park from Great Gma/Gpa Heinz...

This baby has no shortage of attention!

Here is our post-Christmas Sunday morning.

I love this photo because it demonstrates what happens whenever I try to snuggle Mia.

She gets silly, and I get hair in the eye.

Happy New Year!