Christmas Magic

We had such an amazing holiday season, spending time with both of our parents was exactly what we had hoped for for Maryn's first Christmas. My parents came on the 22nd, took the sheets off the guest bed on the 26th, washed and replaced them that afternoon for Mac's parents who arrived that evening and stayed with us until New Year's day...we enjoyed every moment! The magic of Christmas is so intense when a child is in your life...it takes you back to your own childhood and brings back those memories of listening for Santa's sleigh bells Christmas eve night, the rush you feel Christmas morning as you sit at the top of the staircase waiting for your parents to say it's o.k. to come downstairs, and the astonishment when you notice that the whole glass of milk you left for Santa was empty. In our home, the children were not allowed to go downstairs until our parents went down...my brother and I would wake up around 4am, grab our pillows and sleep at the top of the stairs until everyone woke up. I think I even made him do this when I was 12 and he was 16! I just love the thrill and anticipation. I hope Maryn 'believes' until she leaves for college!

Christmas Eve

Just look at this adorable baby....I can't stand it...I love her so very much

We ate dinner at the Old Village Post House, the same bed and breakfast where Mac and I spent our wedding night. It's located in the Old Village and is so delicious and quaint.

checking out the Christmas window display

Thank you grandma Cummings for the pretty Christmas dress

Maryn got to open two gifts on Christmas eve,

1. The Night Before Christmas book

2. and Ho Ho Ho pajamas!!!! She really liked these

It was always a tradition in my family to read The Night Before Christmas on Christmas eve...but not necessarily with antlers on

Christmas morning....waiting on the steps for the 'go ahead' from mom and dad

we were dog sitting for our friends.....Seger made himself right at home with the family traditions

The first gift...a PINK soccer ball from daddy

I made a photo journalistic book for both of our parents from all of my million pictures of Maryn from 0-6 months....they'll get 6-12 months some time after her first birthday.

Maryn's godmother loves her too much! This dress is incredible...I wish it came in my size.

look at the excitement on this girls face....remember this gift, this is the one I let her sneak a peak on weeks ago! I couldn't help myself.

Bode digging for his gifts

Please look at their identical ears! Genetics amazes me!

Rudolph!

Her excitement was contagious

Skyping with grandma and poppop Cummings, great grandparents Johnson and great aunt Sarah and uncle Kevin

Blabla dolls are the best...so are godmother's ;0

She's got the sweetest little rose petal lips, just like her daddy. I use to tell Mac how much I loved his rose petal lips and then when I got the 3D ultrasound at 23 weeks pregnant and could literally see that Maryn had them too, my heart fluttered....I knew at that moment that my baby girl was going to look just like her daddy!

If you can't already tell, I am soaking in each and every moment with this little girl. I am making a mental note of every expression and every smile. Can you believe that she is going to be a YEAR old in only 3 months! I'm not ready to talk about that quite yet.

And I'm pretty sure Nanny is going to cry on April 15, 2010

She is our pride, our joy, our greatest accomplishment.

Oh, and I can't forget....not only does she say mama about a hundred times a day, but she also says bo-de, hi and dada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's been a new word each day for the last two days...it's like a switch went off in her head. Several nights ago, we were in her bedroom getting her ready for bed and Bode was sitting in her bedroom doorway, Maryn catches him out of the corner of her eye and says bo bo bo-de....Mac and I screamed and jumped so high we almost hit our heads on her chandelier. We read her a book and right before we put her down, she looked at Bode and said de de, bo-de! Life is grand, like my daddy says!

Now I need to sort through all the pics we took with grandma and poppop Cummings during their stay:) As always....more to come!