Happy New Year!

Happy 2009 to you! Katie was asleep when we rang in the new year. She did join in the celebration until 8:45. Fifteen minutes past bedtime!

First Christmas

Katie's first Christmas was wonderful. She loved opening gifts. Especially gifts stuffed full of tissue paper. She clapped and pointed (her newest skill) at her favorite things.

Christmas eve - Katie is wearing her fancy Christmas dress to the candlelight service. Dusty/Granddad is taking the picture.



Why we make New Year's resolutions. Mom's poppy seed cake!



Christmas morning - Look what Santa brought!



Christmas morning - Katie politely reading the gift tag before opening her present from Jon and me.



Christmas dinner at Grandma and Granddad's



First day of Kwanzaa at Meme and Papa's



A gift for me - see video link for a demo



Katie's first Christmas created such an appreciation for God's gift of his son to us. While rocking Katie in my arms at bedtime, I am filled with overwhelming love for her sweet stillness. I long to keep her little and holdable forever. These feelings really brought home to me what an awesome sacrifice God made for us. I would not give Katie's life to save a million saints. Yet God gave baby Jesus to us to save millions of sinners. I always knew the truth of the nativity story. Katie's preciousness drove it home. I feel so grateful and indebted to a God that would love me this much. He is amazing.

Take Your Daughter to Work Day

It was too cold for Jon to go into his office (the dining room). He and Katie telecommuted from bed. Katie's current typing speed is zero words per minute.

9 Months Old Today!

See how I've grown!
Katie yesterday and Katie 8 months ago, April 10, 2008, wearing her #1 Daughter t-shirt.

Santa Baby

Katie met Santa today! It went much better than we expected. No crying! Santa had a smart team with him. They had us keep Katie's back to Santa and place her in his lap. She was all smiles while the pictures were taken. Once we had a perfect picture, Santa turned her around. She gently touched his beard. Then looked back at us with an expression that said, "I will cry, if you don't rescue me RIGHT NOW!"

The rescue -


Using the sad eyes on Papa -