Merry Christmas!

On Christmas morning, we opened presents at home. As you can see, Sam is wearing her new PJs from Christmas Eve.

Sam and her new stuffed pig (oh so soft!)

Mommy got a new calculator that she was needing for work (I know, kind of nerdy but I use one every day and my other one was very old)

Opening books from Grammy and Papa

Daddy helped with Sam's stocking

At lunchtime, we headed to Swartz Creek to celebrate with my extended family. It is always so nice to see everyone and the ride out there and back gives Sam the opportunity for some nice naps.

Posing with Mommy before we left for Swartz Creek


At the hall with Daddy

Merry Christmas Eve!

We celebrated Christmas Eve with Steve's family at his sister's house this year. Before the festivities began, we were able to get some nice photos of our family in front of the tree and on the staircase.

Our happy family

On the stairs

After having a wonderful dinner, we headed downstairs to open gifts. Samantha really enjoyed opening her presents (the paper is now much more fun to rip since she celebrated her birthday a month ago and got a lot of practice then).

Helping Daddy open his new coffee maker

So excited about her new Sesame Street puzzle from Grandma and Grandpa

My sister-in-law started a tradition many years ago where her children open a new pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve. They wear the pajamas to bed and then they have nice PJs on for photos the next morning after Santa has been there. I liked this idea and started it last year with Samantha as well. This was her second year opening pajamas on Christmas Eve ... she was so cute!

Opening snowman PJs from Mommy

A Visit To See Aunt Gayle

Today, we took a trip to Roscommon to visit my Aunt Gayle and Uncle Terry. Aunt Gayle (my dad's sister) was diagnosed with leukemia this past Spring, and has undergone many chemotherapy treatments since then. Unfortunately, none of them have been able to put the cancer into remission. We decided as a family (my parents, my grandpa, all 4 of my siblings, myself and Sam) that all of us wanted to take a trip up there and visit them while she is still feeling up to having visitors. We took two vehicles (one from Flint, the other from Lansing) and met them at their log cabin this morning. It was so good to see both of them and this was the first time that they were able to meet Sam. She was so good for the long car rides and during our visit. Please keep them and their family in your thoughts as they are going through this difficult time.

Pausing for a quick picture after we got home from our trip

"Samantha-Proofing" the Kitchen Cabinets

Samantha has not bothered too much with the cabinets in the kitchen until this week. After putting away my bowls MANY times in the last few days, I finally told Steve that it was time to "Samantha-Proof" the kitchen cabinets.

After getting all of Mommy's bowls out, Sam loves to play with them

This was the first time that Sam ventured into the kitchen to open the cabinets (not knowing that Steve had already put latches on them)

After struggling with the cabinet, she started to become upset that she couldn't get in there

But, she took time afterwards for a quick smile for Mommy!

She still tries to get in the cabinets (in fact, there are two that Steve hasn't had time to get to yet and she definitely knows which two those are). I feel better knowing that most of the cabinets are now child-proof, though many times I have forgotten and tried to open the cabinets quickly ... to no avail, of course. I'm sure that it will become habit for me to open the latch first, but in the meantime, I still have to remind myself.

The Ornaments Are SOOO Pretty, Mommy!

I wrapped some presents last night and put them under the tree after Samantha went to bed. This morning, she was even more intrigued by the tree and the pretty ornaments. Even though we have been trying to get her to not touch the ornaments ... well, she still does and she looks so cute when she is standing on tiptoe to reach one that has caught her eye. She has managed to pull a few off the tree this season, but none of them have broken because they just land on the soft carpet.

That sparkled gold pine cone is a real favorite of hers

"I've almost got it, Mommy!"

Santa's Helper

My dad brought one of our reindeer to Lansing today so that my sister (who is student teaching here) could show the reindeer to her students. She had planned a lot of learning activities around the study of reindeer last week and then surprised the students on Friday by telling them that they would get to meet a "real live reindeer" on Monday.

Sam and I went to surprise Aunt Minnie at her school this afternoon. My dad knew that we were stopping by, but it was a complete surprise for Min. My dad took Sam inside the fence with the reindeer, but she was completely scared of it (she's going through a stage where a lot of things seem to frighten her). I was able to take this picture after she came back outside of the fence.

A Visit to See Santa

Last week, I took Samantha to the mall to get a picture of her on Santa's lap. I took her last year, when she was only 2 weeks old. She's SO much bigger now! I wasn't sure how she would react to Santa now that she's older, but she didn't seem to mind him one bit.

Sitting pretty with Santa

Checking out the big man with the beard