Update for Friday, December 30

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! It's been a long time since the last post, but getting the holidays put together with a baby is really a lot of work! We promise that today's post will make you all happy, since we've got a lot of pictures to share with you.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving this year at Katie's Grandma's house with all of our local extended family. It sure was a good time with lots of yummy food. Miss Katie had some quality time with her Great-Aunt Kim.

Katie also enjoyed her food on Thanksgiving - she had Turkey & Gravy (baby food style), sweet potatoes and green beans (also baby food style). She was so tired after the meal that she completely missed the pumpkin pie! I guess she'll have to wait until next year!

Katie's first Christmas was at home with her family. We got an 8-foot tree that we promptly chopped 3-feet off of to accommodate a safe perch on the coffee table in the front window. We were surprised that not a single ornament was touched this year by either dogs or baby! I'm surprised that Luna didn't remember how good the crazy-haired nutcracker ornaments tasted last year!

I snapped this picture of Paul and Katie in their footie pajamas waiting by the fireplace for Santa. Katie was trying to stay awake to see him, but alas - she fell asleep before Santa arrived!

Typical of most children, we found Katie waiting patiently on Christmas morning for the rest of the family to show up to open presents.

Luna got tired of waiting and took a little nap.

While Katie and Daddy were opening their presents they had a little chat with Grandma Carol in St. Louis.

Santa gave Katie her first big toy - a school bus to sort and store blocks. She loves this toy and the special blocks too - they're touch-and-feel blocks, and sound blocks with bells and clickers in them.

Katie is now scooting around on her belly - doing the army crawl by pushing with her toes. She rocks on her hands and knees with her belly up off the ground, but she doesn't quite have the strength yet to crawl forward. We're aware that these are the last days before she takes off for good. We are enjoying the last moments of limited mobility! Just today I found Katie reaching with all of her might to reach the pretty ornament on the tree. Try as she might, she just couldn't get it. Score one for Mommy!

We hope you enjoy these photos - we thank you for visiting Katie's weblog this year. We are having fun documenting her life. These pages are being printed, with your comments, to become Katie's baby book.

Here's Katie wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Look closely and you can see her two little new teeth on the bottom!