Audrey's First Christmas

Audrey had an exciting first Christmas.  She was a big hit with family at all of the gatherings she went to.  She went to her first Christmas Eve church service and managed to stay awake the entire time.  She got two riding/push toys, both of which she has quickly learned to push around the house.  Now, she just has to learn how to turn them so that she doesn't hit so many dead ends. She also has a new collection of toys that play music, flash lights, and talk to her when she plays with them.  I never knew there were so many different ways to sing the ABCs!

This Christmas, I watched Audrey and remembered many of the good childhood memories I have of making cookies with grandma, wrapping gifts with mom, and decorating the tree as a family.  As much as we rush around during the holidays to visit friends, attend parties, and buy gifts, I want Audrey to have those same memories.  When I first started working, I never understood why all of my most tenured co-workers that got the first vacation picks always choose the last two weeks of the year.  Now I get it.  I know it is sad to say, but I am going to become one of those people that tries to take as much time off around Christmas as I can.  I want to have that time to make memories spending time with my daughter and husband. 

This morning we woke up to snowfall, which brings an exciting end to this Christmas weekend.  It makes for a nice cozy family day at home.  I am glad I already bought the ingredients to make potato soup this afternoon!  The beautiful white blanket the snow leaves also reminds me of the peace that the birth of Christ brings.  Jesus' sacrifice allows us to live with peace in our hearts, because we know that God loves us and is faithful.  I pray that all of you will find that peace.  I pray that we will raise Audrey to know that peace; that we will teach her to trust God and let him guide her through life.  

The Most Wonderful (and busiest) Time of the Year

Audrey has quickly become acclimated to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  She has been to two Christmas parties, one holiday happy hour, and a family Christmas gathering.  She has also learned to rip tissue paper.  I don't really think we can call it opening gifts, because she really just wants to rip and try to eat the tissue paper.  Last weekend, while I was wrapping gifts, she crawled over and started to rip the paper off of one of her gifts.  Fortunately, I had covered it in several layers of paper, so she only got through the first one.  She tried to open one her her dad's gifts last night. 

Audrey also seems to like the Christmas tree and lights.  I think she likes Christmas music, too, because she laughs and claps when I sing carols to her; it could also be that she just likes to see her mommy acting like a goofball.  I was singing to her while we were grocery shopping the other day.  It was the funnest trip to the store I've had in a long time, even if the other shoppers thought I was a weirdo. 

Tomorrow morning we will open gifts here at our house before driving to Greenville for family Christmas festivities.  With everything going on, it is always a challenge to remember the "reason for the season."  It is nice that we get together with family and exchange gifts, but we are celebrating the birth of our Savior.  We read a Christmas story book with Audrey to help her learn about Jesus and the story of his birth, but I know we also need to set good examples for her by focusing on Christ this time of year. 

We hope you all have a Merry Christmas! 

All at Once

It always seems like things happen all at once.  With the arrival of the holidays always comes an influx of family gatherings and friend's parties.  On top of that, my birthday is Friday, and that is just the normal activities.  This week, Jackson had to go to the vet because he has colonitis and Billy and I have each taken a day off work to stay home and take care of Audrey because of her double ear infection and pink eye.  I have to admit, however, that being home today was nice.  I have had some time to do some online shopping and to get a few things done around the house.  I know this weekend will be busy, so the more I can get done during the week the better. 

Even with all of this going on, it has been exciting to introduce Audrey to the festivities of the holidays.  We listen to Christmas music every opportunity we get; I want Audrey to like it as much as I do so we will outnumber Billy, and he'll have to listen to it more often.  We can already tell that Audrey likes the tree.  You can see that there are some pictures of her touching the branches and ornaments.  She has also tried "helping" me wrap gifts.  She is really going to enjoy ripping the paper off of gifts this year; I have a feeling she'll be more excited about that than the presents themselves. I'll try to keep up with posting pictures and information as we get closer to Christmas.