Thank you so much to our family and friends for making this a wonderful holiday season for our little family. We made the most of every opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the Christmas festivities. Here are some photo highlights... Most important was the love that surrounded us, making this the best Christmas ever!
(Remember you can click on the picture to open up a bigger version)
We went on a chilly ride on the Santa Train at the Museum of Life and Science with our friends Betsy and Ethan, and Connor's friend Elise. Connor didn't even seem to notice Santa, but got excited over the candy cane. He got a taste of candy cane later and LOVED it!
Mom organized our family "Tacky Tinsel Sleigh Ride", which traveled this year to MeadowLights, outside of Raleigh. Meadow Lights is a neighborhood display with a train ride amongst the lights. Connor was a little under the weather, but enjoyed the train ride. We also stopped at a house in Raleigh whose light display was choreographed to music you listened to on the radio. It was quite impressive and gives us something to strive for next year.
Our first Christmas was with Grandma and Grandpa Maines, Connor's nannies. Connor's favorite present was Amazing Animals Train! He loves watching it roll away and trying to pull off the monkey. Everyone clammored to be the one to help him open his presents:)
In Pennsylvania, we visited with Scott's high school friends...and their children. Scott's buddy Brian and his wife Carrie, gave birth to a little boy a few weeks before Connor was born. Connor and Kyle rolled around near each other and shared toys, although they are still too young to really play together. Kyle is adorable, very calm and serious, and has a brother or sister on the way for more adventure! The get-togethers with "the old gang" will keep getting bigger and bigger as our families grow!
Connor, Nicholas, and Kyle- This was the first time Connor really had the chance to crawl around with other kids his age.
Connor is getter better and better and sitting up on his own, but couldn't quite hold it for a picture in front of the tree:) Over the holidays, he got more mobile, became an adventurous eater, and started saying Mama. He doesn't always mean it, but its still hard to resist!
Christmas morning! So many presents to open...Connor had to take two naps during the whole gift process. Of course, we stopped to open and play with most of his toys as he opened them! As with most baabies, he prefered to roll around in all the paper!
Connor was excited to give his grand Pa his very own wipes warmer, since he had been so amazed by it during his last visit to NC. Pat got a good laugh out of it and will put it to good use...who wouldn't appreciate something warm to wipe their bottom, especially in chilly Pennsylvania??
Grand Ma made such a happy Christmas experience for our first Christmas with Connor. Silly grandma could make him laugh and giggle and rocked him to sleep several times in the midst of all the holiday excitement.
With Grandma Mary- The Book Grandma- during our belated Christmas in Cary, NC on New Years Day. Margot's siblings were all pulled in various directions this season. so we celebrated with each of her siblings on different days...helped spread out the excitement and keep the season alive a little longer. We are still enjoying the spirit and the memory of the season with one outdoor Christmas Tree in the backyard that still lights up each night. Its too fragile to go back up into the attic again, so we are going to keep it out as long as we think we can get away with it...it may seem a bit ridiculous in the summer!
Connor spent his first Christmas in Pennsylvania and saw some snow when we arrived. Unfortunately, he didn't get his wish for snow on Christmas, but there are plenty more Christmases to come! The other thing he didn't get on Christmas (just about the only thing he didn't get), was his TWO FRONT TEETH! They seem to be on the way- keep a watch out for them!
Connor loved every aspect of Christmas- from the lights, the paper and ribbons, the excitement, and all his new toys. Thank you again to everyone and to Santa for the generosity at Christmas and the entire past year!
I am trying again to attach a video- fingers crossed- Here is Connor enjoying one of his new favorite activities- laughing at the dogs trying to catch. discovered by accident in the backyard throwing a nasty toy for Sebastian. I thought Connor was laughing at me, but then realized he was actually laughing at the dogs. Now even the worst mood can be fixed simply by tossing a few Cheerios in the air! Cheapest entertainment around!
