Christmas 2009

I know that many of you have been hoping for an update. I am sorry it has taken so long to show you "the goods". As I am sure you understand, the holidays have been hectic and completely magical. Anelya and I are happier together every day, as if that were possible! She really loves her daycare and loves it when I pick her up!

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Anelya and met Hoovie for breakfast at the diner. As you can see, Anelya was in the Christmas spirit!

Don't worry, Clark/Gilpatricks...

I disinfected everything she could touch before I let her eat off the table ;-)

We spent Christmas Eve evening at our house and invited Baba and Hoovie over for dinner. We played with Anelya, fed her, and then Hoovie read her "The Night Before Christmas," a Christmas Eve tradition in our family. For the past several years, Dad has had to read that book to the dogs, so it was great fun to have a little one to read it to again, even if she was mostly interested in eating the book!

This is Gunnar's usual position while Anelya eats...

Waiting patiently...

On Christmas Day, Anelya and I spent the morning in our pajamas, ate breakfast together, and opened some presents. It was really amazing how many people we barely know had sent presents for my little princess! I adored all of the gifts and Anelya especially appreciated the wrapping paper!

After her morning nap, we headed over to Baba and Hoovie's for the day. It was just the four of us for a couple of hours. As you can see, it was anything but boring...

My sister and her husband and three kids came around noon and we opened presents. It was just so much fun. Anelya was amazing all day long. Who ever heard of a baby who never even whined ONCE despite complete over-stimulation and chaos?

Anelya with her adorning big cousin, Margot,

Yay for cards!

Santa brought Anelya her first baby doll who, as you can see, is also Eurasian.

My grandmother has made us all handmade needlepoint stockings. Anelya's is in progress, but here you can see our stockings hanging next to one another. I tear up just looking at this picture I have waited so long to see.

First family portrait of Baba and Hoovie with their grandchildren

We had a completely wonderful day together and Anelya was just amazing. The best part of the story happened around 5p.m., after we had been there for 7 hours. Her meal times had been messed up. She missed her afternoon nap. I forgot about her afternoon bottle because we had just eaten our big meal (she did too so now worries, she's not starving). And all day, not even a whimper. So, at 5ish, she crawled up to me, reached for me to pick her up, and I did. Then, she looked around at the whole room of 8 people, raised her little hand, waved and said very clearly, "Night! Night!"! After a good laugh from all of us, we packed up the car and left. She was asleep before we even got out of the driveway.