Eliza's Blessing and NYE

Many family members were able to join us as Matt blessed Eliza.  The blessing was beautiful, filled with blessings of peace, confidence in our Savior's love for her, and gifts that enable her to comfort and love others. I am so grateful for this sweet baby, for Matt's worthiness to bestow such a blessing, and for the incredible display of support by all who were able to come and many who were there in spirit.

Our Eliza Marie, held by namesake Grandma Marie

In the dress I was blessed in!  Thank you, Mom, for preserving this beautiful dress and for embroidering our names in it.

The wonderful support group!  Representation from both sides of family and from Matt's co-residents.

(Left to Right: Grandma Marie Alleman, co-resident Sugee and her mom, Grandpa Alleman, Grandma Colton, Uncle Thomas, Ggma, Mom, John, Dad, Eliza, Great-Aunt Carolyn, Ggpa, Grandpa Colton)

This amazing little girl smiled through the whole blessing.  It was hard for the men in her life to keep their eyes closed during the prayer; she just gazed at her dad with a radiant smile.  So in character for her, as you can see from the smiley pictures below.

Fully alert for the camera.  With her momma and both grandmas.

Loving her Ggma's singing

 


And lovin' from both Grandpas

And Ggpa

You are so loved, Eliza!

 

After a teary goodbye to Matt's parents, we had another 24 hours to celebrate the New Year with my family. 

We visited the Peabody Museum

Snow-frosted and beautiful

John, handing a dinosaur tooth replica to the Vernal dinosaur expert

Tried out our new sled (thank you, Aunt Jane!)

Our demonstration attempts

 

Happy boy

Disassembled Christmas (Thank you!  Many hands does make fast work), dined at a delicious restaurant, and celebrated at home.

John's early celebration: Poppers

And pot-banging (he loved that!)


Our feeble attempts at "Boom Chicka Boom Boom, Boom Boom"- Couch Version

We likely tainted the enjoyment of our Martinellis by drinking it immediately after Matt's graphic description of a drainage procedure that had detained him for much of the night...

We reminisced on favorite 2012 moments, toasted in hopes for 2013, and popped our poppers.

Thomas completed the night for me by banging his pan true to his 1996 form. I remember many years of Mom and Dad fixing the clock ahead and then sending us to bang pots and pans on our front porch at "midnight".  For several years Scott and I were rather embarrassed, but Thomas's enthusiastic banging made it worth it.

2012 was truly incredible.  Here's to great family and another great year with this stud!

Christmas 2012

Christmas was so wonderful this year!  Matt's call schedule kept us home, but luckily Matt's awesome parents were able to join us and fill the quieter moments with doting grandparent enthusiasm.  We had fun establishing our own traditions and enjoying the endearing perspective of a two-year-old.

Christmas Eve- 

Matt was called in for most of the day.  He was home in time for a nice ham dinner and our Christ-centered family night.  We acted out the nativity as Matt's Dad read from Luke, sang favorite hymns, and ate peppermint pie, then kids found new pajamas under their pillows from Santa's earlybird side-kick, "The Pajama Fairy".

Our Nativity 

Mom- Angel, Me- Mary, Matt- Joseph, Eliza- Baby Jesus, Car Seat- Manger, John- Shepherd

Sweet little shepherd

(The only reason he allowed this headpiece is because we used a BYU tie)

Our narrator and happy baby

Christmas Day-
John was initially rather averse to the idea of Santa, this bearded and elderly stranger entering our house to leave a toy, but luckily he came around and was thrilled to the core to find his requested trampoline awaiting him when he came down the stairs Christmas morning.

He jumped and laughed for some time

Proud parenting moment- John emptied his stocking and my frightful chocoholic went straight for the apple!

Sick but so happy

Testing out his sweet roller coaster slide from Uncle Wade

John wanted to play with each toy after opening it, so presents lasted for hours!

Eliza enjoyed quality Grandma and Grandpa time

Best reaction of the morning: Mom and Dad opening our education present.  It meant so much to us to have them share this Christmas with us, so Matt brainstormed a special present.  His parents have instilled such a value of learning in their children, supported them and their spouses along many degrees, and have attended 16 (?) graduation ceremonies (including High School and several spouse degrees). Matt and I designed a simple matte framing a picture of each child and spouse at a graduation with Mom and Dad, pictures of the seal from seven attended universities, and a scripture about seeking learning. It was priceless to witness their reaction of surprise and gratitude.

Overall, a truly wonderful Christmas morning!  Great start for our little family.

And to add to the magic, it snowed lightly the night before, creating a White Christmas!

We ate like happy gluttons.  Orange scones, clotted cream, and hot chocolate in the morning.  Cheese ball and wassail throughout the day.  Then we went all out for an early dinner, king crab legs and Martinelli's! I think we ate more later... ham sandwiches, caramels, etc., but all we really remember is the crab legs.

Eliza, dolled up for her first Christmas

The rest of the week was filled with delighting in our new toys, playing with babies, eating well, and enjoying Matt when we saw him.

Napping in her favorite spot; who needs cribs when you have Grandpa?!

This happy girl was held and smiled at the entire week :)

Making a Gingerbread house with Grandpa

And making the whole cast of Sesame Street out of Playdoh

On Friday, the only sunny day, we ventured to Mystic to see the Seaport.  This period village of seaside buildings was charming but COLD.  

I spy a grumpy cookie monster

John loved the children's museum, so we alternated playing with him there and exploring the other museums.

Eliza stayed bundled and happy.

Once it warmed up, John enjoyed the shipyard playground

The blue water, wooden ships, and white-trimmed houses were beautiful!

We also showed Mom and Dad around Yale campus and a bit around our part of town.  Dad took Matt and John to the Peabody Museum to see dinosaurs and bears, and he also got to see Matt in action when a "quick note" on a patient turned into four consecutive consults and procedures. 

I love Christmas, and I love to celebrate for multiple days.  All my love and gratitude to Mom and Dad for dissipating any potential loneliness and contributing to a very Merry Christmas!

December 2012

After Matt's break, the majority of December was focused on gearing up for our first Christmas in our place.  

We got a real Christmas tree and loved it- so full, green, and fragrant!

My mom surprised us with an early Christmas present: Personalized stockings!

Definitely helped build my excitement about being at home,

 establishing our own family traditions and decorations.

My grandma Sandi gave us a wonderful tree which we decorated with shatter-proof ornaments in the toy room (visible from most of the main floor). John loved decorating a tree and was encouragingly gentle with it!

Sweet candid: John, in a burst of affection, telling Eliza about Christmas trees

Naturally, tree decorating was accompanied by sugar cookie Christmas trees

A favorite tradition from the past two Christmases: Matt printed out two favorite close-ups of each child and formed a square to top our Christmas tree. Our angels :)

Our newest angel, taking it all in

For Matt's 29th birthday, I woke up to see him off (first time since he started residency), well at least for long enough to give him a scone, OJ, and a kiss. Then we partied when he got home: Osso Bucco, an all sorts of chocolate cake, two happy kids, lots of handmade John cards, and two packages that arrived that very day from incredibly punctual moms.

Sure love this guy

The best birthday presents- adorable smiles :)

In addition to the usual (and an exceptionally slammed two weeks for Matt), we reveled in in all things Christmas.  Christmas music and those beautiful Christmas trees brightened every day.

John's preschool Christmas

Such a docile Joseph, going along the enthusiastic and articulate (older) girls that make up the majority of the class.

Festive apparel for a caroling party

I love this month!  I love these kids!