Merry Christmas!!!

Ok, I know I have truly been a slacker these past couple months in the blogging department... however, I promise to get back on track! So much has happened lately and Kaileigh is just amazing us day by day with her ongoing learning and growing. Our trip home was so wonderful, but as always, too short. We wish we could spend a full month home to truly be able to visit with everyone we know and love up there. Thank you so much for making us feel so welcome and loved each and every time we make it home. While we were home, we celebrated Christmas with some members of the family and, of course, Christened Kaileigh. It was a beautiful ceremony. Friends and family drove in from all over New England to share this wonderful moment with our little girl. Nik and I are truly grateful for our mothers especially - they organized and executed a perfect day for us. Another HUGE thank you goes out to Mrs. Pike who hand-made Kaileigh's gown. We really could not have asked for more - in any way!

Since returning home, we had many Christmas preparations to make. We put up our very large tree, lights on the house, and shopped for Kaileigh. Kaileigh made cookies for Santa at "Santa's Workshop" - a local bakery in which Mrs. Claus and elves help little ones decorate cookies to put out for Santa on Christmas Eve. She helps them, talks about the North Pole, and reads them stories. A very cute place. Then, Nik's work had a family Chrismas Party. They had hot dogs and hamburgers, bounce houses, crafts tables, and they even fly Santa in from the North Pole in a Coast Guard helicopter. That day, Kaileigh met Santa - and although she was reluctant, she did let him hold her long enough for a picture.

On Wednesday night, Nik's mom and dad flew in to be with us for Christmas. We are so happy for their visit. On Christmas eve, we put out cookies for Santa and I read "The Night Before Christmas" to Kaileigh, atradition set by my mom :). She went to sleep in her new Christmas jammies and slept soundly. During the night, Santa visited our home and set out all sorts of fantastic presents for us. When we woke up, we started opening presents. Kaileigh was quite meticulous with her unwrapping. She would take off one small piece of wrapping paper, and hand it to me... and on it went. Eventually, Nik and I had to start assisting her... She got so many wonderful gifts!! Some of her/our favorites: Ball Popper, pink and purple buggy, camera, sunglasses, songs and smiles silly town, and of course her very own rocking horse! We still have not been able to play with ALL of her new toys... she is such a fortunate little girl. We also recieved a full library of Baby Einstein movies, books, and CDs - so watch out world... our little genius is on her way! lol On Christmas night, I made (with some turkey handling assistance from my inlaws) a large Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner that truned out wonderfully. We had a beautiful day.

I cannot believe Kaileigh just had her first Christmas! It is just crazy to me to think it has almost been one whole year since she was born. She has changed so much and yet not at all. She still is our little angel who has us wrapped around her little fingers in every way possible. Today, we took her to get her "1 year" pictures. It was a wonderfully entertaining photo shoot... involving her very own birthday cake...

Well... I think that catches us up with what we have missed...

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas - we love and miss you always!

The following pictures are of our Christmas morning... In the following days, we will post some more pictures... so stay tuned!!

Kaileigh and our gigantic tree!

Putting cookies out for Santa...

ps. I made that plate! Go Me!

The ball popper - possibly the most amusing toy ever!

Finally got this wrapping paper thing down.

The ultimate toy... Kaileigh's very own car - with matching sun glasses!

She is too cool for school!!!

And yes, on Christmas day, we were able to go out for a walk... I suppose Alabama is good for something!!!