A very happy holiday.

This was baby's first Christmas...and I know you aren't supposed to say "Christmas (or other event, here) is so much better with a baby." BUT...my holiday season was so much merrier with Scout here. And maybe that's not the same thing. Maybe a baby doesn't change everything...maybe WE change things once the baby gets here.

It was a different and somewhat difficult year for present buying. We didn't want to spend money on ourselves or on each other. We wanted to buy her the world. We wanted to introduce her to Christmas lights, trees, Santa, snow, wrapping paper, tissue paper, bubble wrap, baby dolls and the spirit of giving.

Baby met (and was quizzically intrigued with) Santa, stared at lights and touched her first Christmas tree. She helped me decorate (and un-decorate and then decorate again) the tree and house for the holidays. She tried and finally got the hang of unwrapping presents, though she disapproved of bubble wrap. She experienced her first Miltos, Toy Joy and (almost) Trail of Lights tradition with family. She kissed the baby dolls and hugged them, tackled them, and tried to figure out their hands, feet, eyes, noses and eyelashes. She saw her first snow. She had her first Christmas Eve celebration with extended family. She left milk and cookies for Santa for the first time. She got a letter from Santa for the first time. She had her first Christmas morning and opened her stocking for the first time to find all kinds of goodies.

It was the best Christmas of our lives and part of that has to be because we were sharing it with our baby girl.