Hunting for a Christmas Picture

In the beginning of December Eliana got sick with a fever, then congestion, and a wahoo lets turn up the screaming with a double ear infection.  You can read about how Kyle was my hero that week here.  So, it was already a few days into December, and we hadn't taken a photo worthy of a sending out for Christmas cards.  So, after she was feeling a little better we took the above picture along with several others that didn't make the cut.  Can't you just hear her saying,"We're taking another picture?  Please may I get down and play.  We already took 20 pictures."

I thought this was a great picture of Kyle and Eliana, but it would be kind of weird to send out a Christmas card with just Kyle and Eliana.  So, back to the drawing board I went.  

Last year I did a blog post for Shutterfly and got 25 free cards.  That deal was offered again, but I looked into it too late.  I did some hunting around online for photocards, but they just seemed a but expensive to us when you add the cost of the stamps.  

It was cold for a few days.  Finally, I just bundled Eliana up and hoped for a good photo shoot.  When I got back home, I thought that her hat and gloves kind of clashed.  So although they were cute pictures, I didn't want to send them out either.  Sigh.  At that point I was really debating if it was worth it.  I was wondering if people really cared about Christmas cards.  I know I love getting them, but I wondered if others cared about getting them.  

 I looked again at this picture and the one above on the right and thought I could crop the gloves out of the shot and then the clashing wouldn't be seen.  Plus, my friend Michele's words came to mind about why she shares Christmas cards, "We just have too much to celebrate not to share."

 It was a little warmer the next day, so out we went again minus the clashing warmer clothes.  As you can see, Eliana wasn't initially interested in exploring that day.  She'd rather frown and hold on to my legs for dear life.

I decided to embrace the moment and try to make her laugh.  I'm thankful that I did!  Shortly after she was ready to play in the leaves and look for pine cones (one of her all time favorite past times). 

 

I wanted to send out more cards this year, so although it wasn't the norm, I just printed pictures and attached a shorter that usual update on us.  I like getting the letters from friends, but I know that not everyone really cares about how our year went.  Plus, I didn't want to just hit the highlights and seem like I was bragging.  My goal was to point people to Jesus while sharing things we are grateful for this year.  

This almost was the photo we used this year.  She can be such a ham at times.  

A little bit of cropping and wa-la, you can't see my shoes anymore.

A blessing came from Rachel as I had her help me pick the picture to use.  She said she had some free photos from Costco.  Super!

Transitions

Over the last few months I slowly began weening Eliana.  This month we went all the way down to one feeding.  Tonight, at 17 months old and one day, we made the leap into going to bed without that last feeding.  I began writing the previous post just to take my mind off of Eliana screaming.  The thing is, she is already now asleep, and I'm the one sad and near tears.  When she was a few months old, I dreamed of the day when I would no longer nurse Eliana.  The word "FREEDOM" was what I thought I would feel.  Now that it has come, I am blurry eyed as I type.

On a happier note, let me share Eliana's face this morning.

She had this face because she was looking at this.

Which she followed up by doing this, aka, "Dad, hold me there is a giant tree where the keyboard normally goes, and I don't know if I am okay with that."

What she didn't realize was that after "helping" me practice the piano last night, she "helped" her dad open the Christmas tree box.  Then she "helped" him put the Christmas tree stand together.  While she slept, we put the tree together.

We decided not to decorate the tree yet.  I wanted to see if it was going to be a nightmare teaching her not to touch the tree.  So far, she hasn't touched it at all.  That surprises me since she normally is so curious about anything new in our home.  We'll see how long it lasts.

Enjoy the giggle fest while we "practiced" the piano.

  

Christmas

Pop Pop and Me

Eliana loved visiting family!

My family's dinner table. I thought it was super pretty.

Trisha and I took a picture. Tara jumped in too!

Thomas, Eliana, and Me

Ornament

Eliana, Kyle, and I made an ornament tonight. Thanks Judy for the ornament kit!

Christmas Dress

Eliana and I had a photo shoot a few days ago. I wanted to get her all dolled up for Christmas cards.

I wanted her to be nice and toasty while I got everything ready. Plus, I didn't want her to spit up on her nice dress that her Nanny got her.

Awe, isn't she cute?

One of my favorite wedding pictures of mine is of me sitting down in my dress and a picture taken from up above. I tried to do the same thing with Eliana, but she didn't figure out that she was supposed to look up:)

I had taken a bunch, but I wanted to get a few more. This was as soon as I went to put her back in the photo shoot. Once I wiped it up, I was able to get a few more. Do you see that puddle of milk by her neck? I wasn't kidding when I said she still regularly covers herself in milk.