I'm back! (again)
Christmas hit this house like a whirlwind. It brought a new puppy...
who I will tell you all about in another post. But, our sweet little Maggie stole our hearts from the second we saw her at the rescue. She is loving, sweet, and PLAYFUL!
Christmas also brought our favorite-- cousins!
Karis is so lucky to have cousins close in age. I am so lucky to have siblings who will make the 9 hour drive from Denver to our house so that we can all spend Christmas together.
Almost everyone was together for Christmas. Craig and Holly couldn't make it out, but they were with us in spirit. For Christmas, they gave each of the girls a Sing-a-Ma-Jig
. If you haven't seen these funny toys, check them out! You squeeze their belly, and they sing a note. Each different Sing-a-Ma-Jig sings a different note. So, when you put all four of them together, they sing in harmony. (They also each sing a little song, which is really funny too.) Four babies. Four Sing-a-Ma-Jigs. Let the hilarity ensue! (You can see how funny Karis thinks they are!)
. If you haven't seen these funny toys, check them out! You squeeze their belly, and they sing a note. Each different Sing-a-Ma-Jig sings a different note. So, when you put all four of them together, they sing in harmony. (They also each sing a little song, which is really funny too.) Four babies. Four Sing-a-Ma-Jigs. Let the hilarity ensue! (You can see how funny Karis thinks they are!)
Christmas at our house also brings traditions. I have such fond memories of Christmas traditions growing up. Decorating sugar cookies at Grandma's house. Lighting the Advent candles in anticipation of Christmas Day. Eating homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Waking up to see that Santa decorated the tree in tinsel. I am excited to continue these family traditions in our family and make some of our own memories with Karis.
Karis liked the tinsel.
One of my favorite traditions is opening pajamas on Christmas Eve. And, just in case you wondered, the tradition continues for all (including Nana and Pappy).
Christmas also brought Aunt Jenny!
Aunt Jenny is my youngest sister and Karis' God-mother. Almost as soon as she arrives, the house is full of laughter and fun. Karis is not necessarily a giggly baby, but she thinks Aunt Jenny is hilarious (and we all agree).
As an older sister, I couldn't be prouder of my sweet baby sis. She is smart, kind, and such a strong Christian. Rustain and I are so grateful that she is involved in Karis' life. I love watching the two of them interact- they make funny noises at each other, read stories together, and- of course- Aunt Jenny helps Karis ride poor Tucker around the house. What fun!
Christmas also brought family...
Just in case one Christmas isn't enough, our family gets to celebrate three! We celebrate with my family, Rustain's dad, and Rustain's mom. What fun! . And, of course, family means cousins! While Reece is a little bit older and mostly concerned with the baby girls not taking over all his stuff with all things pink, Karis's cousin is only a few weeks younger than her (even though she is at least a few inches taller). It's neat to see them interact and talk to each other. And, of course, it's special for Grandma and Grandpa Troutman to get to play with all three of their sweet grand-babies.
We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is getting ready for a Happy New Year!
