Jan 6 09 - 3 months home and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Jan 6 2009 - 8 pm - Hi everyone! Happy New Year and we hope you had a wonderful Christmas! We had a blast of course, the way only a 3 year old can add fun and wonder to an already magical time of year!

December started out with prepping the house with decorations - Angelique thought it was soooo funny to have a tree 'in the house?' especially with the pretty lights! Every day she waited until it got dark outside then we made a big deal of turning on the outside lights that Papa put on the house - too funny!

We also did lots of shopping during the month, for presents and regular stuff like groceries - A has such an amazing memory and often helps Mama remember what it was we're supposed to get at the store -'what are we forgetting?' 'Ummm - bananas and bread, Mama!' You're right!

Also in December Angelique got her ears pierced as a gift from her Auntie Lise - she was sooo excited! We wouldn't have done it so young but she's actually been asking for them! She has had lots of fun showing them off, to anyone and everyone!

And we went for our first visit to Santa Claus! I was anticipating that A would be a little afraid of the big guy, but nope - she laughed at the kids who were crying ahead of us in line, and when it was her turn she marched right up, sat on his lap, told him she'd like a bicycle for Christmas and even gave him a kiss! What an amazing kid!

We talked about Santa Claus coming to the house to bring her presents and she got very excited about that too - asking every day if Santa was coming tonight? When Christmas Eve finally came, she couldn't wait - actually she thought he'd still be there when she got up - are we supposed to invite him for breakfast? And Christmas morning she had lots of fun, opening her stocking and presents - wow Santa's a good guy!

We had many family gatherings over the holidays, and Angelique is completely comfortable with her many Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and cousins - she knows everyone by name and definitely seems to know this group of people are special to her. As she is to them and to us!

On New Years Eve we stayed home and had a nice quiet night - and the next day she said 'Happy New Year' to everyone we saw!

She talks and sings all the time now- so hard to believe this is the same child who only 3 months ago barely said a word! Actually it's impossible to believe only 3 months have passed since we came home from Almaty - it feels like Angelique has been part of our family forever!

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2009! (and no travelling - yay!!!)
take care
Angelique, Nicole and Paul