the most wonderful time of the year!

Christmas has seemed to have come and gone much faster this year!

we had so much fun with jillian. it's been a blast to see everything through her eyes, and i can't even imagine how much more in the next few years!

jillian was so sweet all day. we were a little nervous that she might be in rare form because she was so exhausted! but she was such a trooper and just went with the flow wherever we were!

on christmas eve, jillian missed the memo that she was supposed to be asleep with sugar plums dancing in her head.

she was up allll night! finally around 3 am, she fell asleep for good in our bed.

then woke up at 7:30!


so with very little sleep Christmas morning, we had our little Christmas with just the 3 of us. it was so sweet to watch jillian love every little thing.


then we went to the nelson's for breakfast and festivities.





doc and gigi got jillian the little tykes car, and she was quite a fan! you can put a "floorboard" in it, so she won't fall out and we can just push her around in it. which makes it perfect for her right now!


mom and dad got a few fun things too!

then we went to lunch at my parents.


we had the annual "vote" by andrew to see if we take naps or open gifts after lunch, and somehow gifts won again! hmm..

we tried to get a picture of all the grandkids and that is always an adventure.


these kids love each other so much! it's so fun to watch them all together!


jillian (and izzie and haylie) got these big chairs and jillian has played in hers soo much! she'll climb in, sit for 10 seconds, then climb back out, and repeat 100 times! it's so funny to watch her. i think she feels so big to have a chair her size!


after all the craziness was over there, we went to the shaver cousin christmas (the nelson cousin christmas was the week before).

we ended the night back at my parents watching the cowboys embarrass themselves on tv!

we were so exhausted by the end of the day, but i wouldn't have changed a thing! we all came home and crashed and slept till 11!

(jillian woke up at 8, but we moved her to our bed and she slept 3 more hours, praise the Lord!)

our first Christmas with jillian was a huge success! i can't wait for the next few years when we can start traditions where she really understands the true meaning of the holidays.

i say i can't wait, but i most definitely can, i'm not wishing any time away. at all!

each day is so sweet right now.

i hope this finds each and everyone of you just as happy!!