It’s hard to believe that it’s already 2010 and the holidays now just a memory that will quickly fade in the coming days.  However, since preserving moments is not only my job but my passion, I will have the pictures and the memories of the holidays to take me through the year.  What was really exciting for me is having Gabby around to take pictures of as I’ve never had the pleasure of having a baby around at the holidays.  I was the baby of BOTH sides of my family so I never got the chance to enjoy Christmas with a baby around.  I have to say, it makes it a lot more fun!

Every year we head up north to visit with my godparents for Christmas Eve and then spend Christmas Day with my inlaws.  Every year I then swear that we’re going to spend the NEXT year on a beach somewhere drinking pina coladas but that’s yet to actually happen.  I’m still holding out hope though that some year, we will find ourselves on some sort of tropical island at Christmas!  I’m sure we’re not the only people that say this!  😉

My godfamily’s yearly family portrait in front of the tree.  They are wonderful to me and I consider myself very lucky that I have people like them that ‘adopted’ me once my father passed.

 

Christmas Day and my nephew Drew holds Gabby.  That awesome sweater was picked up by her amazing Aunt Corey. 😉

 

This year instad of doing the usual gift card tradeoff we decided to do a gift exchange.  This style has a million names – Yankee Swap, Dirty Santa, Bad Santa etc. but essentially you choose a number and pick a gift and go from there.  We had a LOT of fun with it and I hope this continues.   The adults had one and the cousins had one.  I ended up with a bartenders gift bag with a martini shaker, vodka, wine and a recipe book for drinks and Chris ended up with a neck massager.

Really both gifts are mine.  Chris just doesn’t quite know that.  Ha ha.

 

Next was the cousin’s gift exchange and as always, Evan hams it up for the camera.  What’s funny is that in the last couple of years all pics of the nieces and nephews have turned into mini-photo shoots for their Facebook.

 

Megan is the proud owner of a Fun in the Sun gift bag and proudly wears her sunglasses.

And yes, this is her current Facebook profile picture.

 

Since this is the first baby for this family in almost 10 years, everyone bought for Gabby.  She eagerly opened presents and was actually impressed with the toys and not the packaging.  Smart kid!

 

Aunt Corey saw this reindeer outfit and had to buy it for her knowing that it would be too adorable in pictures.  She loved this outfit but it was a bit too warm for her indoors.

 

Isn’t this outfit ridiculously cute?  I wish they had a grow-with-me option on clothes for things like this!

 

Even though Mommy and I LOVED the red tutu, Gabby was not a fan and was not digging the photo shoot any longer.

 

So we gave her a pacifier and I got a few pictures before Aunt Dawn took the pacifier out of her mouth because she didn’t like it covering up that cutie pie’s mouth.  More screaming ensued so we called it quits for the pictures of her for the day.

 

I got one final pic of the family before they left.  This is the only one where two of three are looking at me and Gabby isn’t crying… c’est la vie!  There’s always next year!

 

I hope that your holidays were all merry and bright and that the new year brings you things you never imagined and grants wishes you could only dream of.