New Year's Resolution...

... TO POST ON BLOG MORE OFTEN SO I AM NOT TRYING TO RECAP A MONTH AT A TIME.

That said, I am starting where I left off, which was us heading to Aiken for the weekend to spend with Matt's parents. It was great to be down there again, and to see Grandma and Grandpa, since it had been a while. We got to hike in the woods, walk around the bay/dried up pond, and enjoy relaxing. A highlight was getting to visit with our good friends, The Bagby's, who are on YL staff in Aiken, and were so kind to us during our time there. Alden had a great time playing with their 4 kids, and harassing their cat. Other highlights from the weekend include Alden climbing in and out of her booster seat like it was the coolest thing in the world, eating at Fatz...YUM, Lily bounding out of the house to greet next door neighbor Jan, her husband, and their dog Sunny, reading books with Grandma, and turning the lights in Grandma and Grandpa's room on and off, on and off.

After the weekend, it was crazy how quickly Christmas crept up on us. We had couple play dates that week, and Jessica, Rob, Lydia and Miles dropped by for a quick visit while they were in Gastonia. Matt's parents came up to our house on Friday and graciously agreed to babysit while we headed to my friend Stacy's house for a Christmas get together. It was a blast to stand around and have adult conversations with my playgroup friends and their husbands, without being interrupted every 10 seconds, or having to run off and intervene in a toddler crisis. We filled the weekend with making Christmas cookies, visiting Matt's new model homes and neighborhoods, watching football, and just enjoying the Christmas season. It was great to get to go to our church again after a couple weekends away, and we were so thankful there ended up being a nursery for Alden. Christmas Eve service would have been pretty short for us if she had to join in. We had an incredible Christmas Eve dinner - Matt grilled out steak and salmon, and we all ate too much.

Christmas morning was a fun, as we all got up and opened presents, and had a great french toast breakfast. Alden let me down a little, because I was expecting her to just tear through her presents and be so excited...after all, one of her gifts is destruction. She opened her first present, a box of Alphabet book, and was so enraptured, that we ended up unwrapping the rest for her. She got a ton of books, which is great, and some really cute clothes from Matt's parents. After breakfast, we headed to the park to walk off some of the french toast and to let Alden play on the playground. She had a blast going up the stairs and down the slides...kind of surprising us since the swing is usually her favorite.

Christmas afternoon, we all headed to Nana's house for the festivities and craziness that take place there. It was such a good break for me to be trumped by Grammy as the go-to person for Alden. I am so thankful that she chooses my mom over me! I need it! Matt, Dillon, and Scottie played tag in the yard, and Alden had a great time with cousin Scottie. The traditional spaghetti casserole was on the menu, as well as a lot of great snacks. Yum, yum. Being together with everyone on Christmas and Thanksgiving is really what makes those days seem like holidays to me. Our time at Nana's is always so special.

The day after Christmas, we packed up the car and headed to Raleigh. We had a mini-Christmas with my family, and Alden was a little more into the present deal. I think it took her a while to get into the swing of things. She got a baby doll and stroller from Santa, and a grocery cart from Grammy's friend Marcia, which were the highlights of the day. That night, we went to my friend Kristen's house for a high-school-friend gathering. It was great to see Mendi and Colleen's new babies, and to enjoy a night out without ours!

The week at my parents was sooooo relaxing. My mom and Ashley completely took over the care and maintenance of Alden. Matt and I were able to get out and see a movie, and do some returning at the mall and REI...where, by the way, I snagged some sweet shoes at the garage sale.

Alden seemed to really grow up over Christmas, and just seems a lot older to me. She surprised us a couple times, saying "Chocolate" "Amber", "Rainbow egg", "Hot dog", among others. This is not to say she says these things all the time, but a few occasions, they just came out perfectly. She spent a lot of time running up and down the greenway, and "riding" her tricycle. She was also very interested/concerned about boo-boos. At dinner one night, my dad had a bandaid on his knuckles, and Alden was talking, talking about something. Finally, we pieced together "boo-boo" and "Pop-pop". Then, she kept bringing it up for the next couple days.

We came back late on Sunday night, since Matt had to work on Monday. On the way home, I was reaching back to get Alden something, and my seat started reclining and smashed her leg before I could stop it. She wasn't hurt, and didn't cry, but then preceded to talk/sign about for the next half hour. Like I didn't feel bad about it already. Why do I feel like we are moving into a stage of hearing the same stories over and over?

New Year's Eve, we went to my Aunt Vickie's for dinner and a bonfire. Alden had a blast seeing their animals, and it was fun to visit with them and spend time at their place. We got Alden a winter coat for Christmas, which is huge on her, and we all laughed a lot as she tried to waddle around, and would sometimes fall over and not be able to get back up. Maybe that is a little cruel, but it was hilarious. Dillon came back to our house for the night, and helped us take down Christmas decorations the next morning. It felt good to get the house somewhat back together, and all our bags unpacked. Now I have to figure out what to do about the toy situation.

New year's night we had our friends Bill and Ashley over for dinner. It was great to spend time with them and the first dinner where none of us were holding a child while we were eating. Hallelujah! Alden and Ella played so well by themselves, and the parents definitely enjoyed it!

And that brings us to today, our first day back in the groove. Alden was a super-fuss today...Like she had her paci basically all day. It really made me wish that we still had a lot of people around to pass her off to. We went to our first class at the Rea Road library, which she enjoyed after some initial skepticism, and did our grocery shopping. We read almost every book in her room, and she really made me laugh pushing my cell phone around in her stroller. She has started linking signs together, and tonight signed "Dad" "Wash" and "Pacifier" when Matt was washing hers off. Thank goodness she is finally in bed though...it is a hard adjustment for mom to go back to being solo during the day!