Happy New Year!

WOW. December flew by! And here we are in 2010. I have a tickly feeling that this is going to be a great year. I will be turning 32 in January, which sounds like the perfect age to be. I hope it feels as good as it sounds! Since my last post (the much needed hair cut -- so glad that was done before holiday photos), we have had a lot of firsts. First visit with Santa, first Christmas party, first Christmas, first solid foods, first trip to the grocery store sitting in the cart like a big girl...so much going on it's been difficult to find time to write. On top of that, I am moving my office home so that I can manage my practice more easily. I will continue to see clients in my old office space-- I'm just renting a conference room and reception help now. I hope this transition will make things easier on all of us.

Baby girl and I joined Da-da at the annual family Rotary holiday celebration where she met Santa. Her little buddy, Jackson, had visited with Santa just beforehand and cried bloody murder so I decided to sit on Santa's lap with her...she was well mannered and didn't really need me along. (Mama ruined the picture, I think.)

Baby Rotarian.

Meeting the big guy for the first time.

The reason Mama decided to sit in the picture.

For better or for worse, we did not get out to many Christmas gatherings this year. I made a gingerbread house with a dear friend, attended a cookie exchange with some great ladies in the neighborhood, and, as a family, we attended a little early evening gathering with other babies present. The other babies were slightly older-- ranging from 9 months to 14 months, and ALL boys-- but my sweet pea held her own. As the only girl, she even got to wear the sequined Santa hat.

For Christmas, we had my parents-- the oh-so-excited maternal grandparents-- visiting. It was a non-stop love fest for baby girl. She was very fatigued by all of the cooing, kissing, hugging, and loving bestowed on her by her adoring grandparents. Here are a few photos of opening her first Christmas present.

Just when we thought our fun had ended, we were graced with a fantastic visit by some dear friends who live in New York City, but intend to find their way back to the West Coast sometime in the next year or so. They found out they were pregnant about a month before we did. Here was the first meeting between our little ones!

Yes, you're seeing this right-- they held hands right away! ADORABLE.

Whew. It was a whirlwind of a December, but we are ready for the new year. As I type this, I am looking at boxes and boxes of legal files, office supplies, filing devices, etc. that are going to somehow fit in my new "home office." For the time being, we're just shoving some other furniture out of the way so that I have some space, rather than leaving my computer and files perpetually at the dining table, which drives my husband nuts. It has begun to drive me nuts as well because I can never find what I am looking for! Eventually, we plan to wall off half of what is now our TV room to create an office space. This house desperately needs more storage and a bigger utility room, so that is likely what the rest of the TV room will be converted into...pantry, laundry, storage cupboards. We will then just put our TV-- which we seldom use-- in the living room. Husband is jazzed over the concept of a wall-mounted flat screen in the living room...we'll see what happens.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy 2010. I can't put my finger on why I think this year is going to be great, but I just have that feeling. xx