Christmas and the New Year!!

Well folks it is now 2009 and our first year as a family is quickly ending and will begin to work on the second and the rest of our lives.

Christmas was bittersweet and almost perfect. In my dreams, we were at home in GA for Christmas but in reality we were in a new location beginning a new job and in a small place until can find something we like that is bigger. Other than that Christmas was perfect. We put our tree up the week before and due to Clay being amazed and so curious about a tree being inside it just included the lights. Christmas Eve we spent as a family. We ate out at Applebee's and then when we got home Clay got a bath and in his nightclothes and then it was time for the Christmas story, hot chocolate and putting the star on the tree. Once Clay was in bed, Matt and I began wrapping gifts and getting them under the tree. It took quite awhile. We were going to put Clay's Train Set together but decided that would wait till after Christmas as we were leaving to go to MeMe and PawPaws after opening presents. So santa brought Handy Manny and Elmo Live! Everything else was wrapped and under the tree. We then took Elmo, Handy Manny and his new truck when we had all our Christmas unwrapped and went to meme and pawpaws. I have Clay on video opening his gifts and seeing the tree for the first time but until we locate the video camera (it is either left at house in GA) or worst case scenario someone took it and then I will be really sad as this is my baby's first Christmas at home. So as soon as I locate it I will upload the video.

The Sunday after Christmas we put Clay's train together after taking the tree down and since then the train and Elmo have been the only toys to get his attention. I wouldn't be surprised as much as Clay loves trains that he would become and train engineer when older.

New Years was the three of us at the apartment here playing with him and just spending time together as a family. Now as long as all works out here our flight benefits begin next week and we are planning to spend our First Gotcha Day in San Diego, CA. There we are going to meet up with Carol and hand deliver our yearly update and talk options of a possible second adoption. We are in the research phase right now and we need to research options and figure things out. We will also be meeting up with Mary and Anna and possibly a day at Disney Land or so. If all works out this will occur the weekend after Clay's 2nd Birthday.

Now for what you have all been waiting for............

The following pictures were taken at MeMe and PawPaw's house. MeMe got all us boys and Auburn baseball cap like PawPaws and here is our picture with our caps and PawPaw. My cap is a really small replica of PawPaw's and I loved having the pictures taken. Left to right: My cousin Jacob, Me, My cousin David and of course in the middle PawPaw.