The Best Christmas EVER!!

This Christmas by far has been the best yet! And I'm sure each year will get better and better! Claire got to celebrate two Christmases this year. We flew down to Louisiana on the 22nd to visit with David's family. Claire did great on her first plane ride! She was happy and full of energy the whole time which sure kept her Mommy and Daddy busy. Bouncing back and forth between the two of us, pulling the window shade up and down and waving to and saying hi to everyone in the rows behind us she really enjoyed herself :)

Once in Louisiana, Claire got to meet all of her relatives on the Durr side. Her 96 year old Great Grandma, 92 year old great Aunt Alvis, and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins!! We spent Christmas Eve in Baton Rouge at Aunt Ashley's and enjoyed some gumbo! Christmas morning we woke up to open presents and then headed out to the country to Great Grandma's house for Christmas lunch and a yankee swap!

We got back to Virginia on the 26th and geared up to celebrate Christmas #2! Cute side story: We went out to dinner that night with Aunt Cindy and Claire was sitting on her lap. Claire watched Aunt Cindy open the pink Sweet n Low container and empty it into her iced tea. Next thing we know, Claire was reaching for the Sweet n Low and then was shaking it over the tea just like Aunt Cindy. So cute!!

Back to Christmas, that night we even laid out cookies for Santa! The next morning we opened presents and had our annual Christmas breakfast! We had 'Christmas" dinner at Uncle Jim and Aunt Paula's and Claire got to play with her 2nd cousin who was born just 3 weeks after Claire!

We were truly blessed this year and had so much to celebrate this Christmas!

Ready to board!

Hmm...I don't have to ride in a car seat?

Out to lunch enjoying all of the yummy Louisiana food!

Meeting Aunt Alvis - Aunt Alvis is Grandma Claire's sister who Claire is named after

 

Christmas Eve in Baton Rouge

Opening stockings Christmas morning

Family shot - We were all just waking up :)

Grandma and Grandpa got fun hats that sang, lit up and danced!

Carefully opening gifts

Meeting her 96 year old Great Grandma

Rocking with Grandma

Great Grandma with all of her daughters, grand kids, great grand kids

All ready for the yankee swap!

Hanging out with Daddy

She loved her ornament from Great Grandma

Laying out cookies for Santa on our special Santa plate

Christmas morning in Hampton

I love it, thank you Grammy and Papa!!

I'm smiling Papa!

I'll help you open that Grammy

Kristen and Chris

Christmas breakfast - she loved all of the fruit!

Playing with her cousin

Hi there!

She loved all of the lights on our own tacky lights tour! We've visited this house in Hampton for years and they keep adding more every year!

2011 - the best yet!

Santa!!

Growing up, Kristen and I visited the "Legendary" Richmond Santa for many, many years. It was always quite the experience and I couldn't wait to take Claire to see him. When we went, it used to be at the old Miller and Rhodes building in Richmond but it has since moved to the downtown Richmond Children's Museum. It was set up the same way with the Snow Queen, Bears, tree, fireplace, etc. Luckily we got to go on a weekday and didn't have to wait more than 5 minutes. Growing up we would wait hours! Claire seemed to like Santa...she didn't cry!!

After seeing Santa, we played some in the Children's Museum and then went over to The Jefferson Hotel to see their beautiful Christmas decorations.

Patiently waiting in line...

We're next!

With the Snow Queen

Family shot with Santa

I've been a good girl!

Playing

Sure, I'd love to play with that block Grammy!

So fun

On tv with Daddy!

At the News Desk

Massive Gingerbread House at the Jefferson

In front of the Nativity

Beautiful Christmas Tree in the lobby

With Grammy!

With Mommy!

9 months old!

Claire turned 9 months on November 25th. 9 months already, where is the time going?!?! She weighed 15lbs (5%) and is 26 1/4 inches (10%)....our little peanut :) Each month just gets better and better. She really is such a joy and so much fun. She loves pulling up and standing on whatever she can. She will also walk along whatever she is up on for a bit but just seems more interested in standing up and exploring whatever is up there. She has found some favorite books and will sit with you as you read them to her. She loves to find her favorites in the basket and pull them out for you to read. Molly loves to play keep away from her and the two of them will run/crawl back and forth, back and forth "playing" for a good while. It wears them both out :) She loves to wave. When she is crawling around and getting further away from you or heading into another room, she will stop, sit up, look back at you and wave. After you wave back, she will continue on her way to wherever she is headed. She also got her first tooth!! And the 2nd is on it's way. She had a rough couple of nights when it was coming in but all in all she did great. She still is chowing down on her beloved Cheerios, she could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Thanksgiving 2011

We hosted our first Thanksgiving this year at our house! We had a wonderful time with everyone and really enjoyed the day. Maybe we started a new tradition :)

Ready to eat!

Family shot

We tried to give her turkey, cranberries and sweet potatoes....but she wasn't too interested. Maybe next year!

Happy baby!

Everyone relaxing

Mommy and Claire