First, Christmas. I just love how my mother in law decorates for Christmas! The house is so festive and the tree is always perfect! Thankfully, Eli didn't go overboard with ornament rearrangement. We were able to attend the Goodrich family Christmas party the Sunday before Christmas, which we've missed the last few years. It was great to see how much all the kids are growing up, and how the young families are growing! On Christmas Eve we went to Applebees for a nice family meal (thanks Dad B.!), my sister came out for a visit, and then we enjoyed some card games and watched Fred Clause late into the evening. We all slept in on Christmas, then enjoyed a fatty fantastic breakfast of croissant-egg-cheese sandwiches (thanks Mom B.!). Then the gifts! It was so fun watching Eli get into opening presents, though he is not yet greedy like the rest of us and gets heavily involved in playing with whatever his first toy is, and forgets about opening the rest. One thing I regret is forgetting to bring Eli's felt board nativity to go over with him - darn it! We'll have to do it when we get back home, even if it's a month late.
Eli got some matchbox cars that he has really enjoyed, as well as a digger, a baby remote control car, more animal figures, and some signing time videos. He has been watching signing time non-stop and has learned 20 or so new signs already - zoo and farm animals! He got some dinosaurs from Aunt Aubrey and likes those too... though his favorite toys are still his two whales! He takes them everywhere, and even sleeps with them. What a character. Owen got some stylin new clothes to get him through the winter.
It was fun to see Eli and his cousin Kenadee (14 months) finally warming up to each other. Eli's quotable quotes from the season are "big guy" which he calls everyone - his uncles and his grandparents - and "ow, guy!" everytime someone looks at him and he's feeling shy. Also, non-stop talk about the whales. And everything is "BIG". When Brad or I enter the room it's "oh the big mama" or "oh the big dada." We went bowling and the balls were "big mama whale balls!"
The Sunday after Christmas we had Owen's baby blessing in the Benson home. My parents were able to be there, as well as my sister. Also Grandma and Grandpa Goodrich, Aunt Nancy, and all of Brad's siblings except Kris (who was working). We had Grandpa Kramer and Grandpa Benson, Great Grandpa Goodrich, and Uncle Skyler in the circle, as well as two members of the Bishopric from the Benson's ward. We had a little program with a prayer, a message from Grandpa Benson about when the Savior visited the Nephites and blessed the children, and we sang I am a Child of God. We're just all about doing things at home with this baby =). It was a very sweet experience and Brad and I were both tearful! I always feel like my babies are "growing up" once they've had their blessing. I don't know why.
2 comments:
I'm sooo sorry that we missed you in Utah! It's a good thing we didn't make it to Aubrey's reception afterall because we rang in the new year cleaning up vomit from both Hailey and Adam. Aren't we party animals?!?
Your boys are cute. Loved the family and wedding pics. Enjoy the warm AZ sun for us... I haven't been back there in almost 7 years!
That little Owen is the most precious thing in that blessing outfit, Jeanine! So sweet! How neat that you were able to do it in the Benson's home. The Christmas festivities sound so fun and your boys are darling in their matching outfits!
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