Recap 3- Baby's First Christmas, Vacation, and New Year!

Christmas was at our place again this year and it was a full house. All the cousins made it which was the biggest change since last year. We went from two kids last Christmas to five this Christmas! I love that all the cousins are going to be so close in age though, I hope they're all friends as they grow up. With so many little ones running around it gave me a whole new appreciation for how my Grandma hosted so many holidays with me and all my cousins. It was also super chaotic, but in a good way. We decided this year not to do a gift exchange for everyone, but instead just buy for the kids. It worked out great, and I think we'll be doing it this way from now on.

As I mentioned before, I made all my gifts this year. I'd definitely do this again, but just start earlier than one month before Christmas. Oofta. But I pulled off most of it. After all was done I made a doll for all the girls, a button/crinkle/tag toy thing for the little ones, a diaper clutch for the mama's, and homemade finger paints for everyone. I meant to get a picture of everything, but because I went right up to the last minute getting things ready, I simply forgot to take one. Oh well.

Cousin Sophie's gifts

Cousin Ethan, Eva, and Everette's gifts

Opening presents!

Aftermath and BOWS!

Tegan opening her stocking on Christmas morning!

My Dad's side of the family spent Christmas up at our cabin/time share, Breezy Point, and had reserved the cabins through New Years. So the Monday after Christmas we made the drive up to Brainard for our first family vacation of sorts. The Hubs was only able to take a few days off work so he came up for the first part of the week and then had to go back to the cities. The plan from there was suppose to be me coming back with Tegan on Friday for MIL's birthday, but we did a little switching up at the last minute. My Dad got sick the day we left for the cabin, and did a roller coaster of feeling better than worse the rest of the week. My parents were ready to call an end to their trip and just get my Dad home, so I ended up staying at the cabin and having the Hubs and MIL come back up instead for MIL's Birthday. It worked out really well until Tegan and I got whatever my Dad had and spent the MIL's birthday, and New Year's Eve in bed. Oh well, it was still a great trip. We had a full week with family, spent some time out of the house, and even went swimming, it was a great break from the norm even if it did end in being sick.

Tegan & Great Grandpa G.

Tegan's closet/room at Breezy Point!

Making our self's at home, and playing with Grandma G.

Playing in the kiddy pool

Hanging with Grandpa G.

Reading with Grandma Jane

Recap 2- December told by Pictures

Baby's First  Christmas Ornaments

"That guy is around here somewhere..."

"I don't like this guy!!!"

Recap 1- Baby's First Thanksgiving and Christmas Tree

Tegan & Aunt Sara

Lets start the recap a week before Thanksgiving. This year Tegan's Aunt Sara (my sister) was able to come to MN for a visit. She stayed with us while she was here. I was really happy that Tegan was able to feel comfortable right away with Sara. They even coordinated nap times (just kidding Sara...sorta :)).

Tegan's first Thanksgiving!

For the actual day of Thanksgiving we went over to my parents place. The Hubs and I usually host the holiday dinners because we have the largest space for it, but with Tegan this year we asked the parents to share the hosting with us. It all turned out great. We had quite the crowd this year. From Tegan's perspective we had the Great Grandparents, the Grandparents, two aunts, two uncles, and an uncles girl friend, a cousin, and later in the day another aunt and two more cousins for a grand total of 16 people! It was surprising that with all those people that it didn't feel crowded at all.

As we always do the day after Thanksgiving, we went out to our favorite tree farm and picked out a Christmas tree. We also learned that Tegan LOVES Christmas sausage. If she saw you eating a Christmas sausage and not sharing she would throw a little fit!

The hunt is on!

Found it!

Grandma not sharing the last bite of Christmas sausage!

So...yeah...Happy New Year...

Well, you may have noticed I missed a few things like Tegan's first Thanksgiving, her 10 month post, all the Christmas festivities, and New Year's (which also coincided with our first family vacation of sorts), and am now late on her 11 month post...so here's the deal...I decided to make all my own Christmas presents this year and I got so wrapped up in that starting after Thanksgiving I had time for little else. Have no fear the recaps are coming you are warned. But first we have to recover from our first major bout of sickies.

As all good family vacations go, someone brought up a stomach bug with them, and it was a doozy!!! Knocked out my Dad, my Aunt, my cousin, and my Grandpa before attacking Tegan and me, and tried to take hold of the Hubs but he someone scrapped by with out to much harm. Unfortunately for one day the Hubs and I were both down for the count, and let me just say it's a whole different ball game to be sick with a little one!! It so far has taken one day of total misery, followed by a day of fasting, and two straight days of sleeping, and now 4 days later I'm venturing back into normal habits. Whew! Thankfully Tegan is starting to come around too. There is nothing sadder than knowing your little one isn't feeling good and having no real way to make it better. On the upside of catching this bug it has aided in loosing the last 5 pounds of baby weight, returning me to my pre-baby weight finally of coarse it was all water weight lost, so therefor will come back but indulge me :), and lots of additional baby snuggles.

So I threaten promise, recaps will come. But until then, Happy New Year to everyone! This year is going to be crazy I can feel it all ready, but it's a good kind of crazy. All ready on my agenda is planning Tegan's first birthday (GULP!!!), going on a much anticipated cruise (sans baby which is going to be really hard), and being part of my best friends wedding! Definitely a good kind of crazy, but crazy non the less. I can't wait :)