December & The Holiday That Wasn't

You most likely think that this post will have all kinds of cutesy pictures of Analiese - and her FIRST CHRISTMAS.  But in fact, it won't.  Because our family didn't really have Christmas in December this year.  We had already planned on postponing the holiday to accommodate Jared's travel plans - and have the family Christmas in January. So Christmas Day felt more like "The Christmas That Wasn't".




Instead, we have all kinds of fun pictures to share from Life With Analiese - who turned 9 months old on December 25th. She's been out as long as she was in!

Analiese's Nana from Kentucky sent some Christmas presents in December.  Analiese had reached the weight maximum for her newborn car seat - not to mention her long Whittier/Thomson legs were crunched up against the back seat of the car.  But not anymore!  Now she has a brand new car seat that is big enough to accommodate quite a bit of growth (Thanks Nana!). Neither of us can wait until Analiese turns 1 so that we can turn that car seat around and let her face forward!!  She hates sitting in the rear facing position - who wouldn't?

I have been integrating "Diaper Free" parenting techniques from the beginning and they have certainly paid off.  I rarely have to clean a disgusting diaper because she knows how to go in the toilet...and has been since about 8 weeks old. Obviously when we travel, or have company and get distracted, she still wears diapers - but we needed something she could sit on because she was getting too big and too heavy for me to hold over the 'Throne' when she had to go.  Here she is, happily boasting her new found bathroom friend!

The one "Christmas-y" thing we did do this month was visit Analiese's cousins, who live in nearby Riverside. Aunt Mary Beth made a delicious lunch for us and then Lauren, Lila, and Analiese got busy making Gingerbread Men.  It was so much fun.  The girls started a tradition of a book exchange for Christmas, which made this mama very happy!






Now that Analiese is so mobile, she follows me all over the house as I go about my daily chores.  She watches and learns and as soon as she is able, she pitches right in to help.  Here are a couple of videos of Analiese helping me out around the house.  The first one is right before breakfast time as she helped me to unload the dishwasher:

A few days later, she nudged her way into the laundry room as I was folding the laundry from the dryer.  She asked if she could help and who am I to turn down a helpful hand?

The desert has been hard for us to get used to.  We have been here for six months now and, well, neither of us can say it has really grown on us.  We have started to get out a bit more, on Kevin's days off, to explore the areas around us.  Thankfully, within an hour and a half, we can get to the San Bernadino National Forest where we have begun to scout out future camping zones for next summer.  It is always a little cooler up there. We packed a picnic lunch and sat beside Lake Hemet, enjoying the view of water, trees, and wildlife. 

 Even though we knew we wouldn't be celebrating Christmas until January, the rest of the world seemed to carry on as if nothing had changed.  Analiese and I attended a MOMS Club Christmas Party in the park.  It was a warm sunny day but Santa Claus was still able to make it and Analiese had her first Picture With Santa...not a snowflake in sight!