Merry Christmas!

My family on Christmas Day

We had a wonderful 1st Christmas with Mariela and my brother, who flew up from Florida to be with us. On Christmas Eve we drove up to MA to spend the afternoon with my Grandmother. Mariela played at her house for awhile, then we went out to dinner, and then to see the lights at La Salette. It was a great day spent with Mariela's Great Grammie.

At La Salette with A.R. & Mariela

After we drove back, we went to A.R.'s parent's house for their annual Christmas Eve party. We didn't arrive until 9pm and the party was just starting to get kicked off. We left just before 11pm and people were still arriving! On Christmas morning (Saturday), we were able to sleep in an extra hour thanks to Ms. Mariela and then we leisurely got up, made breakfast (pancakes, eggs, bacon, and toast), and then let our baby girl attack her presents.

Mariela had a blast helping rip the wrapping paper off her gifts from Santa and then trying to eat it. She actually got a couple pieces in her mouth and proceeded to throw up all over me, almost in slow motion, as I tried to fish a piece out of her mouth. She loved all of her presents! After her morning nap, we went out to Ruby Tuesday for lunch. Yes! I felt totally guilty for eating out while those poor people had to work on Christmas Day. We gave her a huge tip to try to make up for our guilt!

Christmas night we went over to my in-law's house so all the cousins could open their gifts. We don't exchange gifts among the adults in his family as there are now 6 kids and it can get kind of expensive. Watching the little ones excitement opening their presents is so much more fun, anyway. Three of the boys (ages 5, 3, and 21 months) are now old enough to understand Christmas and had a blast opening gifts. There was wrapping paper from one side of the room to the other. My brother-in-law put all the gifts he bought for each kid together in diaper boxes and then wrapped the box in Christmas paper. When my 5 year old nephew opened his, he was so disappointed he thought he got a box of pull-ups! We had to open the box for him, so he could see the toys inside. :)

It was a wondeful Christmas weekend with family and I have fond memories of Mariela's 1st Christmas.