Simply having a wonderful Christmas time!

Well, Luci certainly is!

Although we are loving our first Christmas with Luci, things are just so incredibly chaotic. She refuses to nap, eat, and nurse. Her schedule is a mess, and she is as happy as a lark.

For the past 3 nights, she has been waking up at around 4am - ready to play. Her eyes are huge, like she is giving us a great big "HELLO!" This morning I was slapped in the face by a tiny hand and the happiest shriek followed. John had gone to get her and brought her to bed.

She is so nebby that she can't sit still enough to eat or nurse - and therefore fights sleep. You would think that this would make her sleep the entire night - NOPE! Oh well!

I am hoping that this will end after the 12 days of Christmas are over...only 10 more left!

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3103997009/a=40662473_40662473/

Luciana - 8 months

This has been a very busy month for little Luci - 1st Thanksgiving, going to see Santa, getting Christmas pictures taken, putting up the Christmas tree, and getting ready for the holiday craziness.

As I just posted, we got her ears pierced. I know that some people probably think that I am nuts, but I know a lot of people that have done it this early (or earlier). My justification: she is young enough to never remember it, she is too little still to realize that they are even there and therefore won't play with them (which equals no infections), and I don't want to fight with her when she is older. She cried for about 20 seconds and it was over...MUCH better than shots!

She is trying to crawl. She can get up on all fours, rocks back and forth, and then her little legs fly out from under her. She gets really frustrated at times, which is so entertaining! She is pulling herself up now - it takes a while, but when she does it, she is so proud of herself.

Aunt Dani and Aunt Ree bought her the Little People Nativity scene for Christmas. They gave it to us early so that we could put it under our tree this year. This is the best gift! She loves it so much. I can just sit her in front of the tree and she plays with it for hours, and she doesn't even go for the ornaments.

Her new trick is clapping her hands...it's so adorable. She even does it at the right times. For instance, I took her to one of John's swim meets last night and she was clapping her hands as though she was cheering for the swimmers. She was the hit of the meet.

She is feeding herself now with finger foods. It fun to watch as she concentrates so hard to pick up the little pieces and aim for her mouth...I secretly love it when she misses! Despite the fact that she is eating solids, I am still nursing and my milk supply seems endless. I am sad to think that I am only going to be nursing her for only 4 more months, but I can't wait to be done with pumping!

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Here are pictures from the last month:

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3075057009/a=40662473/_40662473/

A controversial issue, I know...

Minimal tears, and already forgotten!

I just didn't want to deal with the drama later!

Yep, this is TOTALLY my family!

I just received a link to this article from my cousin. Refer to one of my friend's posts and one of my own posts for confirmation.

People may think that this tradition is an urban legend, but this describes what our weddings (and showers) are like.

They're Heeerrreee!

I could have waited a few more months,

but I haven't noticed any nibbles yet...YET!

Favorite Christmas Songs

In Pittsburgh, there are a few radio stations that play only Christmas music in December, and I admit that I only tune into these stations over the holidays. I flip back and forth in hope to catch 2 of my favorite songs:

"I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas" and "Domenic the Italian Christmas Donkey"

I was searching for the first song on the Internet, and I found this article. I thought that it was interesting.

What are your favorite Christmas songs?

Be careful of what you ask for...

...because it just might come true.

I am referring to how I ended a recent post.

The insurance adjuster came to the house so that he can assess the issue with our hardwood floors and basement carpet and such from the water damage. He is giving us a figure that reflects what it would cost to replace ALL of the hardwood on our first floor.

How much hardwood is that? Well, it's our entry-way, front closet, hallway to the kitchen, kitchen, eat-in area, dining room, pantry, and powder room. The only carpet we have is in our family and living rooms.

So of course, my eyes widen, and I am thinking of all. the. work. that would go into doing that - i.e. emptying out the china cabinet so that we can move it to the living room, taking the toilet off, etc.

We think that we might be able to get away with just taking care of the kitchen and eat-in area and still make it all flow nicely.

And of course, since the house is going to be a wreck...we may as well do it all at once. So yes, we are redoing our kitchen! I have a feeling that we are going to be making a lot of stops to Lowe's and Home Depot soon.

Kind of excited, but kind of dreading it...happy thoughts!

The mother ship called me home!

The last time I visited was before the cruise.

That means that I have been deprived for 16 months!

I am impressed that I last that long without my one and only addiction: