The Little Liebchen Girl: Ara's first Christmas

This year has certainly been the year of firsts for us! And Christmas was no exception. We spent Christmas in North Idaho with my family, it was so fun to have TWO little ones! I think this trip proved Ara and Byron will grow up to be pals. It was so fun to watch them interact and start to notice one another. The extent of them playing together was grabbing each others feet and lunging for the same teething toy but I'm sure sooner rather than later they will be best buds.
Ara was also able to meet her Uncle Shad for the first time. I'm sure he'll teach her all about basketball, water rafting and fishing someday.
Our trip was relaxing and the landscape was beautiful. You really cannot ask for a more beautiful place to be at Christmas. Everything was covered in snow and the sun was out for a day or two as well. I am excited about the possibility of living there someday... Well, excited and sad. But I'm sure I'm getting way ahead of myself.
Ara is not quite sitting up by herself yet but I can tell she is close, she sits well with assistance but hasn't quite got the balance thing down yet. She is obsessed with sucking her thumb and has now discovered that her feet are also a good teething toy. She has also started lifting her bum up and can get one leg bent, positioned for crawling. But I think we're a ways off from crawling just yet. However, I know it will be sooner than I think! She also tried sweet potato for the first time! Not really into it- I stopped after the gagging started. Practice, practice... :-)

Swinging for the first time!

Cousin Byron showing Ara how it's done.

"See you just chill like this, and then mom pushes you!"

Sticking out my tongue!

Getting very sleepy.. swinging is tough.

Loving that little face!

Too much Christmas..?

Byrons hand is PERFECT!

Me and my girl.

Uncle Shad with the kiddos.

Family photo

We're just playing, no big deal.

SO CUTE.

Love them.

Not so much a fan of the snow suit. Not conducive to thumb sucking. (It had the Randy effect from Christmas Story). But we were happy for it and it kept her WARM!