MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas! Sorry it took a couple days to get these pictures up, but we've been super busy traveling back and forth between Lafayette and Indy, and making the rounds with family and friends. Annabel's first Christmas was everything we could have hoped for... she really enjoyed her new toys, and even seemed to get the fact that there were presents under the paper! She was an angel all week and a complete joy for everyone that we visited with. She continues to amaze us with her developing personality, and the new tricks she seems to learn daily. I can't believe that tomorrow she is 9 months old - where did the time go?

Annabel got more toys than we know what to do with, but we are thankful to everyone who was so generous!

So as a quick re-cap, we spent Christmas Eve with my family and Nate's mom, which is when we did most of our gift opening. That actually turned out to be a really good thing, because Christmas morning was super hectic, trying to get everything packed up to hit the road again... we headed to my Aunt Mary's house for Christmas with my extended family, which was a fun time as usual (my crazy family never ceases to entertain). The only downside was that throughout the day I started feeling real bad, and by the evening, had the full blown flu. I was in bed by 6:00 that night, but thankfully it was a short lived bug and we were able to head back up to Lafayette the next day to see some more friends, and to FINALLY relax. Last night and today we just bummed around my parents' house, and now have returned home, where we plan to stay for a while.

So here are the pictures of our first Christmas with Annabel:

Annabel with Nate's Mom

Me and Annabel before church on Christmas Eve


A quick family pic

It's present time! Here are a few of my favorites... she is kind of a mess (specifically the hair), but then I guess that wasn't really the focus!

But I do wish I would have thought to grab a bow.... :)

These are from the day after... Annabel spent most of the time that we were at my parents chasing after their dog, Woody. He is definitely her favorite thing in the world right now... she shrieks with excitement every time she sees him. Poor Woody... he is alternately afraid of her and terribly jealous of her - before Annabel, he was the ruler of the house!

She makes this crazy face these days... she is touching her two bottom teeth to her top tooth, but since her top tooth is on the far right, it makes for this funny crooked grin.

On the move again!

Annabel playing with my Mom.

Here are some videos from our week - the first is Annabel opening her first gift. The second is of Annabel stalking poor Woody. The third is her 'talking' to Woody. Maybe she's telling him "it's OK puppy, I just want to play!"