Christmas with Papa and Gramielle

Our final Christmas celebration was with Papa and Gramielle. They came in town 2 days after Christmas and we exchanged gifts and played with Ava. They got to see more of Ava during the day because she barely napped while they were here. I think the traveling and all the people in and out of the house was finally starting to affect her. We enjoyed everyone's company tremendously but I have learned that when things are out of the norm that they really do affect these little ones. Especially scheduled ones like Ava. Thank you Papa and Gramielle for coming to visit us!

Touching her new toy (she likes to use just her pointer finger which is so cute)

Dancing with Papa

This ornament has become a favorite toy lately. I would sing Jingle Bells and she would shake it over and over and listen to the jingle bells.





Christmas is now over and all our visitors are gone. We made some good memories this Christmas. Wishing you all many blessings in the New Year!

Home for Christmas

We were so happy to be able to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning. Since this was Ava's 1st Christmas it made it extra special. This year was also the year for all the Vaughans (dad's side ) to get together for Christmas so we hosted the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 15 adults and 3 dogs equals a whole lot of love and laughs! Just about the time that everyone arrived on Christmas Eve it started snowing!! It was perfect. We will always have memories of Ava's first Christmas as a White Christmas.

My dad wasn't able to be here on Christmas day but he came up a few days before and stayed with us. I couldn't have asked for a better visit with him.

She loves her Papa

As soon as it started snowing on Christmas Eve I threw a jacket on Ava and went outside to get a quick picture.

Side note- we had a Pajama Themed Christmas Eve so that is why I am wearing PJ's at all hours of the day

Ava met her Great Uncle Mark who flew all the way from Minnesota

And she met her 2nd cousin Dani

We played Apples to Apples and Wii

Is Santa here yet?

No, but my daddy is!

adorable

The Vaughan family is always full of fun so part of our Christmas tradition is to draw names and go shopping for the tackiest Christmas gifts we can find. Kinda like White Elephant but you can't trade your gift. We all crammed into our cars and drove through the snow to the Dollar Tree...in our PJ's. Funny how no one in the store found it unusual that we were all walking around in our pajamas.

Dani, Mark, Kassandra, Granny Jean

Ava was so tired by this point but she did great the whole day.

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow

Most of the gang

I wonder what Aunt Alli got me?? We have to wait till morning.

Uncle Matt gave Ava The Night Before Christmas

So Daddy read it during Storytime

The house on Christmas morning

Oh look it's a rocking giraffe! Thanks Aunt Alli. You give the coolest gifts!

Macy gave Ava another Sandra Boynton book, Snuggle Puppy

Surrounded by all her gifts

What a blessed Christmas it was!

Early Christmas in Corpus

The week before Christmas we made the long car ride to Corpus to have an early Christmas with Kay Kay, Bri, and the rest of the Wier family (mom's side). Once again we traveled at night and Ava slept peacefullly the whole 7 hours. Alli and her dog came with us so Alli kept Mikey company while I took naps here and there. In Corpus we just hung out at Mimi's house while Ava crawled and explored the new territory. She was very entertaining and just happy as can be. Mimi's house is home to me so I was excited to bring Ava to a place where I have spent so many holidays and have such fond memories from my childhood. Ava has grown up so much since a lot of the family has seen her last so it was fun watching them get to know each other again.

"Smiling's my favorite"

Know the movie? It's one of my favorite Christmas movies!


Aunt Bri loved playing with her niece

And Ava's feelings were mutual

I am so glad that we introduced books to Ava so early. She loves being read to and looking at all the pictures.

Ava got a bath in Mimi's sink just like I used to

Playing with my Kay Kay

Ava met her Great Uncle Bobby for the first time. Normally she is very shy with men but she crawled right over to him and started touching his beard. We loved seeing her so drawn to him.

What better way to get to know someone than poke their eyeballs

Kisses from Great Aunt Lisa

Ava's 1st ornament from Mimi- Every year she gives each of the grankids an ornament with their name and year. We have a tree full of these special ornaments and now Ava has her own to add.

The best part of opening gifts...the paper!! What a cool sound it makes.

Loving the new hat and outfits that Kay Kay gave me

Kay Kay needed a picture of her "kids"

Ava got a toy that she can stand up and walk with. For now, we just play with the buttons and sounds on the front but walking is in the very near future! She is becoming so brave with standing and even lets go and stands on her own for a few seconds. She also likes to side step along the couch and ottoman.

One night we drove to this house to look at all the decorations and lights. In the background you can see some little Santa figurines and then a big one in the sleigh. They are kinda creepy because they all move their heads side to side. The man that lives here also sets up a speaker system in the sleigh and when parents walk up to his house he asks what the kids names are and then he secretly talks through a mircophone and calls the kids by name as if Santa is talking.

Aunt Lisa and cousins Ryan, Reagan, and Rachel came along as well

My sleeping beauty slept through it all

Ava and her 2nd cousin Ryan

I love being at Mimi's house!

Love this one of Ava and her great grandpa, "Big Bob". It reminds me of when we used to walk on Big Bob's back when we were litte. Next trip Ava will be ready!

Alli and Mom