I remember opening presents on Christmas morning while my mom sat close by admiring and my dad manned the video camera. As I got older I never understood their enthusiasm for waking up before the sun to watch me and my brothers open up our presents from Santa. How could they be so excited to see our gifts when it seemed they only received a gift I made in class using paints and ceramics? I know that Kayden is too young to understand what Christmas represents or what it means to hear Santa’s sleigh bells ringing, but this Christmas I began to understand the joy in watching my child experience Christmas. No longer do I look forward to receiving gifts. No longer do I dread fighting the mall crowds. No longer do I wonder what gift I might receive. I now look forward to seeing Christmas through my daughter’s eyes. What a gift I have been blessed with. There is no joy, no gift, no love more greater than the gift of my child. We hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful Christmas doing what you love with the ones you love! 🙂

On our Christmas, we started off the holiday festivities with Auntie Kelly, Uncle Will, and Kayden’s super cool cousins Jake and Ian :). We had some good laughs and then opened presents while Nam watched on iChat. You know technology can be confusing and frustrating, but in our family with bicostal residents we find it to be the link that keeps us all close! Merry Christmas Nam, Papa, and Auntie Jen. We missed you so much but are so lucky to be able to click and chat at any time!! Kayden loves ya!!

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After a Christmas Eve visit with the Spahrs we headed up to Orange County to visit with my family. We spent time with Mimi (of course), Grampy, Uncle Jer, Auntie Katrina, Uncle Nick, and my mom’s side of the family. What fun we had with Kayden’s great grandma and great grandpa. Poor Kayden was fighting a cold and the emergence of her first TWO teeth! She was wearing her holiday dress and entertaining the whole group! My aunt Colleen and her girls came too and we were loving the opportunity to show Kayden off! What a fun day!

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Since it’s Kayden’s first Christmas we figured we could get away with just about anything. In fact, for her first Christmas she got a new flat screen TV for her nursery! We look forward to the traditions we will be establishing for our family, but figured since Kayden is 6 months old she probably won’t remember what we do this year anyway! We knew we had some long travels for our 6 month old so we decided to stay in a local (local to Mims) hotel on Christmas Eve. This was a tough sell for me,  but I figured Kayden probably wouldn’t mind Santa visiting Mimi’s place this year ;). We had a great day at Mimi and Grampy’s with a late nap and an afternoon of opening presents. Let me just say that Mimi and Nam gave Kayden a brand new wardrobe and Auntie Katrina (& Uncle Jer) provided Kayden with all new toys. Wow, little Miss Kayden you are so loved!!

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Now that I have mentioned how Christmas is primarily for my child, let me explain how Grampy made Christmas just a little bit about the boys. Grampy bought two remote control helicopters for the boys to play with while the girls gushed about the baby and slaved over the stove all day!

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Kim and Kevin stopped by with their adorable girls, Addison and Reese. I love to check in on Kim’s blog (joneskjfam.blogspot.com) to see the many faces of Addison as well as to see how little Reese is growing and changing! I love to see where Kayden has been (Reese, 3 months) and where  Kayden is going (Addison, 21 months). It’s weird (or maybe not), Addison was only interested in kissing Kayden on this visit. She didn’t care about the singing Barney that I searched far and wide for. She didn’t care about her little sister (although she was sure okay with picking up and sucking on her binky!), and she sure didn’t care about the 6 dogs running around! Addie you are a sweet sweet girl who makes the most adorable faces in the world! Reese you are the most patient and well-mannered baby that I have ever seen. Kayden and I look forward to the days you three are running the cul-de-sac reeking havok on all the neighbors! I love you all!!

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We had the most special and love-filled Christmases of all times this year. Never will Christmas be the same. For I will never look forward to what I shall receive, but in turn enjoy the gifts and good memories I will share with my first born, Kayden!