Holidays 2008

This update is well overdue, I know. (Some of you have gently reminded me!) We have had a busy holiday season with some travel and much too much sickness. I think we spent every day of December with either Chris or me sick. Luckily, Adah didn't catch anything from us!

For Thanksgiving, the three of us traveled to my aunt's house in New Hampshire for a little family reunion. Most exciting was that Adah had a chance to meet her Great Grandmother. Unfortunately Adah developed a little separation anxiety from me while we were there and had trouble getting much sleep at all. Still, she found time to wander the house, play with blocks, and get herself up and down steps. We all came home exhausted realizing how challenging traveling with a one year old can be.

Christmas was a special time for us as a family as it was our first in our new house. Adah enjoyed looking at the Christmas tree and all the ornaments. She would often point to it and smile, her hand getting just as close as they could to the ornaments without actually touching them (well, most of the time). If we reminded her not to touch it, she would quickly put her hands behind her back and look away as if touching the tree was the furthest thing from her mind. What a funny child! In addition to the tree, we also set up our nativity set for the first time this year. Every morning we told Adah who the figures were and what they were doing. On Christmas morning, the pregnant Mary was switched out with Mary and Baby Jesus. It was so funny to see Adah's reaction ... she noticed right away and seemed so surprised. It amazes me how much she is understanding what we say! In any case, Christmas was a joyful day and we were grateful to be able to spend it with Chris' Dad (aka Grandpa Rozell) ... paper was just as amusing as the presents themselves, a yummy Turkey dinner was had by all, and there was lots and lots of playtime. My favorite memory of this holiday, though, was time spent Christmas Eve dancing around the living room. Adah has just started dancing (i.e., bopping her bum up and down when she hears music). On Christmas Eve, we put on holiday music and swung around the living room with Adah in my arms and big smiles from ear to ear. Chris' Dad was amazed at just how busy his granddaughter is! It was nice to be able to share the holiday with him.

For New Year's, my Dad and Charlotte came to visit. We ate lots of good food, went to the "park of misfit toys" (as I affectionately call it), and toured a wonderful exhibit at the High Museum of Art. Adah was struggling a bit trying to decide whether she needed one or two naps a day (something we are still trying to figure out), but still managed to play as much as possible while she was awake.

Happy New Year to all!