Christmas!

Peyton's 2nd Christmas!

It was so nice to be home this year for Christmas.  Our Christmas was full of relaxing and family time- absolutely perfect! The picture above was from the weekend before Christmas- as if poor P hadn't seen Santa enough that week (twice), we took her to see the Santa she saw last year (who is amazing) at Von Mauer. I walked her to the front of the line to just see him before it was actually our turn, and that triggered a massive meltdown cured by pretzels. Needless to say, Chris and I joined her in the picture and it went fine that way. :) Maybe next year!

The Sunday before Christmas we spent in Topeka with my grandparents, parents, and my brother and his fiance, Moriah.  

Peyton got some good gift opening practice in! 

Christmas Eve with Granddad and Grammy- we went to the 5 o clock service at COR Downtown- was fun to be at our home church this year

We came home after dinner and we hosted Chris's parents (and mine) for Christmas Eve.  Yummy Italian dinner of lasagna, salad, and garlic bread. My favorite part was a delicious drink I made of cranberry/pomegranate juice mixed with champagne. Dessert was chocolate cake my mom brought with coffee ice cream.

Started the tradition this year of opening PJs on Christmas Eve

Leaving cookies and milk for Santa

Christmas morning! Peyton loved her kitchen and accessories from Santa. :)

  

The shopping cart lead to a meltdown because she had a hard time understanding that she was too big to get IN her new cart.... 

Christmas morning breakfast- yummy hamballs and apple bread topped off with mimosas

Special gift from Daddy!

We packed up and moved to my parents for the rest of the day and spend the night there. Peyton loved opening the rest of her gifts.

The slide was a hit!

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So was the train. :)

The Coffeys came over and shared Christmas dinner with us at my parents'. My mom did an amazing meal, as usual!

Sunday the Coffeys hosted us and my parents for another delicious meal and more gift opening- the Christmas marathon apparently! :) Peyton got her daddy's old dinosaur rocker.

It was a very relaxing holiday season and as always, goes by way too fast. Our house looks so bare now that we've taken down all the decor- always a sad day! We look forward to next year. :) Merry Belated Christmas to you! 

P's 1st Christmas: Part 2 in Chicago

We left Tuesday the 23rd on our first road trip with Peyton to Chicago to spend Christmas with Chris's family. I was a little apprehensive about the trip but Peyton showed me up! She did GREAT. Stopped only once on the way there (and back) just to feed her- not bad. We left early, early Tuesday morning (4:30 a.m. early) with the hopes that P would sleep for awhile before we had to stop- and that she did- and also in hopes of not throwing her schedule completely.

We got to Chris's parents around noon and she got to meet Chris's middle brother, Matt, aunt Laura, and big cousin, Caralynn (2 1/2 years old).

Hangin' with Grandpa- we told Mike to take it as a huge compliment that she was sitting still on his lap and happily. :)

On Chrismas Eve day we took the girls to swim at Mike and Vanessa's gym and to see Santa together.  Peyton LOVED the water- made me so excited for this summer with her! 

Love the expression on Caralynn's face- she was Santa-strong til it was our turn! They both did great.

Peyton loved getting to use Nessa and Grandpa's blow up tub- sat her up and she enjoyed that!

Below are pics from Christmas Eve before the children's service at 4:30.

Love this- lol

Sleeping girl during the service.  Didn't get to show off her fancy dress much but oh well- I'm sure there will be lots of that next year when she's walking (tears! :( )

Pretty service

Someone's ready for bed...

Reading the Night Before Christmas- will be a tradition!

Opening a few gifts Christmas Eve-Peyton loved her new book and Christmas PJs (a tradition in Chris's family- one that I love!)

Is this cute or what? Caralynn was SO good with her.

Christmas morning came and Uncle Chris helped teach Caralynn that ways of the Nerf gun... 

Is our niece cute or what? She was a blast to do gifts with.

Someone was sleepy (above is a scene you are likely to never see again...)- she went down for a power nap shortly after this. :)

Caralynn loved helping open gifts with Peyton 

I've been working on this quilt for Peyton for months- a good friend of mine, Sarah, helped me- no way would I have figured this out on my own! Needless to say it was a labor of love.... whew! Loved how it turned out and matches her room.

Peyton on her new quilt (my favorite part is the P I put on it (to the left of her arm)

First Christmas as a family

Mike and Vanessa took us to their arboretum where they do an annual "Illumination" walk- so, so cool. About a mile walk of gorgeous lights and displays. 

Here's Vanessa and Caralynn with these trees that you hug and they change color. Pretty cool.

Chris and Peyton in my new ergo carrier from my grandparents- came in handy! 

Nessa giving Peyton a bath while we got packed up to head home

We ventured into downtown Chicago the day before we left to go to a fun kids' holiday-themed indoor play exhibit.  

Riding the train

We had a wonderful first Christmas with our sweet Peyton and are so excited for many more to come.  Christmas just got a whole lot more fun. :)