Our new family's first Christmas

I know everybody has already moved on to the new year, and many people have blogged about resolutions and contemplations for the new year. However, I am still savoring Christmas, and I am not ready to move on yet. Admittedly, we did take down all the decorations yesterday, but that was only because my OCD husband made us. I think if I had it my way, they'd still be up come Valentines Day.

Our Christmas week was a wonderful one. My husband and I were struck repeatedly throughout the merrymaking and festivities with how blessed we are to have our own wonderful extended families and now our little son. We remember our deep desire and longing to start a family and how discouraged we were feeling at this time last year when that just did not seem to be happening. This time last year, we had no idea that we would be here today, getting our little son dressed and bathed for his first Christmas celebration...

I know, he looks thrilled with his little fancy Christmas day outfit.

Almost as thrilled as he was with his Christmas Eve outfit

And who says they don't make cute baby boy clothes? :)

Christmas Eve was a wonderful first for both Will and his little cousin Penny, who incidentally is not so little anymore. She jabbered all evening long, read books with Grampy and opened her own gifts

(PS I made that hat for her. No, silly, not the Santa hat!)
Isn't she the cutest little thing?

William behaved himself pretty well. He enjoyed hanging out with his dad and uncle and the rest of the family.

Ok, well "hanging out" could be loosely interpreted as snoozing most of the day.

Christmas morning with my family was equally fun - a few of those pictures I already posted here.
In the afternoon we headed out to Wisconsin and got there just in time to see a lovely winter sunset over the lake behind my aunt's beautiful house.

Will got to meet his extended family on my mom's side, and spent a lot of the time looking up at them...with adoring curiosity (at least that is how I choose to interpret this face):

For the Christmas potluck my contribution was a cosmopolitan jello mold, the recipe for which I found here.

It turned out rather yummy. My family loved it. They are a good German family which means they like their booze. I'll let the pictures do the talking:

The next morning we had a relaxing time, and I had some time to capture a few shots incorporating his First Christmas gear since he'll never be wearing it again. (sob!)

Check out those reindeer feet!

I also had to get some shots around the house...taking in the lights, the decorations and the scents...savoring them before packing them up again for another long (well, really short) 11 months.

Yes, that is a Sam-cat in the background, probably contemplating which ornament to pounce on...

Had some fun tummy time by the big picture window out of which he loves to gaze...

I guess some might think we are bad parents because we did not get our son anything for Christmas. He would not remember it anyways. Hopefully he also will not remember how his crazy photographer mother shamelessly squeezed his large tummy into the too-small stocking all for the sake of some cute photos:

Judging from the look on his face, I think he forgave me.

Merry Christmas 2011 to all, and I'll throw in a Happy New Year as well :)