Calla's First Christmas!

My baby girl is now 10 months old and has celebrated her first Christmas! We have truly been blessed this year and got to spend lots of time with our family and friends during the holidays! Next weekend we still have 2 Christmas parties to celebrate...then we will be finished!
On Christmas Eve we celebrated with just the 3 of us and then went to late church. Then on Christmas Day my parents came out to spend the day and then in the evening we went to Chad's parents house.
Calla was really, really, really spoiled by everyone and we think that we are really blessed to have such a wonderful family and great friends who cherish our Calla as much as we do! We know that each one of you had a very Merry Christmas and remembered the love that He has for us!

Before Church on Sunday

Showing off her snowman hat from Uncle Chris

Reading a book from Mommy and Daddy

Checking out her Ark from Santa

Playing with her Singing Sound Stage from Grandma and Grandpa Ripp

Away in a Manger

We have started our Holiday gatherings! Over the weekend we were with my parents and brothers, and of course Burlynn! Calla had a blast following Little B around and just exploring Grandma and Grandpa's house. Santa was in town on Saturday so we took the girls for a visit. Calla loved him andBurlynn not so much!
Calla got SPOILED by Grandma, Grandpa, Shane and B, and Uncle Jed! Our living room continues to grow smaller due to the large quantity of toys she has! On thing is for sure...she has no excuse to be bored at home!
This weekend we will just be at home and then my parents will be out here on Christmas Day to hang out and then we celebrate with Chad's family that evening!
We will not update again until after Christmas so we want to thank all of you for following our family this year! We wish you all to have a great Christmas and never stop Believing!!

The girls looking out Grandma's window!

The Big, Jolly, SCARY man!!

Little B with her new slippers riding on her new horse!!

Calla on her new Dora couch, checking out Grandma's tree!!

The girl's in their Christmas dresses before church!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!!

Calla has had a busy week, learning lots of new things! She can now sit from crawling and pull herself to her feet. I went in yesterday morning while trying to get her down for a nap and she was standing in her crib smiling at me! She now likes eggs and crackers. And...she has slept through the night for 4 nights in a row!!!!!! God does love us and wants us to have more children someday! LOL!!! She loves our Christmas tree so much that we bought her a small one that she can actually play with and she LOVES it!
Chad and I went to GI yesterday for his Company Christmas party and Calla spent the night with Grandma and Grandpa Ripp. We had a great time and Calla did too!

Standing in her crib...yikes!

Another tree picture...this time with her 1st Christmas hat!

She got into the wrapping/tissue paper and had a BLAST!!!

Mommy thought she needed a mohawk!

She pulled herself to her feet and then was waving at me!

Calla with her very own Christmas Tree!

Mommy and Daddy before the party!

Who's got a beard that's long and white?

Santa's got a beard that's long and white!!!

That's right...it is time for the Big Jolly Man to make his appearance. Calla got to meet him for the first time last week. She really enjoyed sitting on his lap and just smiled her cute Calla smile! We think that we are lucky that both Grandpa's have a beard...so hopefully she will never be afraid of him!

This last week she has really started to show us that she is growing up too fast. She pulls herself up to about anything now...most of the time, just to her knees, but occasionally to her feet!! Yikes...I want my baby back. :'(

In all seriousness though...Pastor Dave told of an experience he once had. A woman was telling about the Christmas program her children had taken part in at their elementary school. The woman was telling how cute they looked and all the fun songs they had done. Then she said...for some reason they had to bring Jesus into it and then they had to sing some religious songs. I don't know why they would bring him into it!
Jesus is the REASON for the season. Without his birth we would not have Christmas! Take the time this season to remember the real reason we celebrate and give thanks to Him and all that He has given for us!

Hanging out by the tree!

For some reason she was trying to crawl over the box!!

Wearing Little B's reindeer outfit from last year!!!

Mommy and Calla!

Calla and the big man...look at her arm propped up on his belly!