Gus' 1st Christmas!

Christmas 2008 was a very difficult time for me.  My Papa had just passed away the week before and I missed him terribly.  And all I wanted for Christmas was to be a mom...and that wasn't happening.  Little did I know that a month later I would find out about the baby that was going to entering our family!  This year I feel so incredibly blessed to have Gus in my life.  I am such a lucky lady!!  In previous years, I knew exactly what I wanted for Christmas.  This year I already had everything I need and want and he is such a precious little boy!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!  I love the the joy and excitement of the season.  I love that people take time to get together for holiday parties.  I love the festive decorations and the billions of lights scattered throughout the neighborhoods.

Growing up, my sister and I would count the number of houses that were decorated while in the car coming home from the different Christmas gatherings.  We had rules for this little tradition of ours.  We could only look out our own side of the car.  You had to count out loud so that we kept track along the way.  Any Christmas decoration counts.  If you could only see the lit Christmas tree inside the house...it would count.  I love this little tradition that she and I have and I cannot even tell you how it started.  To this day we still play when we are together.  I hope to do the same with my kids as a way to entertain ourselves on the way home.

Psst....

"Psst....I want to tell you something..."

This picture just makes us laugh out loud!  Gus must be trying to tell us something.

Goofing around with Aunt Annie. 

I left my parents for an hour and Aunt Annie kept Gus occupied and entertained him.  They both made sure to get in plenty of "tummy time".

"This lady is so silly..."

Gus is in awe of his Aunt Annie.  She is so silly that he barely ever takes his eyes off of her.

Me and two of my favorite guys in the whole world doing one of my favorite things in the world....hunting for the perfect Christmas tree for my parents house.  This was my 30th year on the tree hunt with my parents and I am beyond excited to pass this tradition on to my son.  This is one of the best parts of my year and I hope that he grows to love it as much as I do.

We let Daddy and Papa do the hard work of cutting down the tree and hauling it to the truck.  My sister and I love trying to find the fattest, roundest tree for my parents house.  We found a pretty good one.

It may not be for his house, but Gus took home his first Christmas tree!!  Our little family will get our tree for our house tomorrow, but I love that Gus' first Christmas tree hunt was with my family.  The tradition continues.  Now I can't wait for Gus to see the trees all lit up and decorated. 

I am so pumped for Christmas this year!!  All I wanted for Christmas the past couple of years was to be a mom...my wish finally came true!  I can't wait to celebrate my first Christmas as a mom!!