Christmas Day was not the end of our Christmas celebrations.  I know many of you were the same.  Schedules don't always allow for families to get together during the busy-ness of the season, so you settle for an extended Christmas. 

And that made me excited!  Extending my favorite holiday!?  Yes please!

My family has always traveled to Jackson to celebrate with my mom's side of the family.  We used to travel on Christmas Day.  Then we moved it up to before Christmas.  This year, we just couldn't get everyone's work schedules and vacations lined up until the day after Christmas.  And the big change was...they came to us!  I'm pretty sure that was the first time ever.  But between Kristin and Lee, Me and Russ and Millie Janalee, Dustin, and Mama and Daddy...there just wasn't going to be a time we could all travel the four and a half hours at the same time.

We were determined to make it work somehow.  Of course we wanted to see everyone, but the new baby was the real star of the occasion!  I hadn't seen Selah Grace since she was born, and I could not wait to get my hands on her sweet little self!

Getting my snuggles

It's amazing how one year can make such a difference.  Click here to see last year's celebration.  And just think - next year will bring even more changes when Hughes enters the family.  I'm pretty sure that's going to be the running pattern for awhile in this family.  Babies, babies, everywhere!  Ha!  Or maybe I'm the only one who wants to fill the house full? 

Kristin getting her practice in

If you don't know my mom's side of the family, I feel sorry for you.  These people are who you see.  They don't hide anything, and they will do anything for anyone.  Add to that the fact that they are the lowest maintenance group you will ever meet, and you have yourself a one-of-a-kind family tree!  Thank you, Lord, for this family of mine!  We had leftovers and ordered pizza for our family meal.  And everyone was delighted with that!  No one to clean up after.  No one cooking and slaving before.  Just pure enjoyment! 

This is how I like to celebrate Christmas!  Enjoying all the people in my family!  Hallelujah!

After a good and loud dinner, we decided to gather in the living room for gifts.  Millie Janalee roamed wild and free, and we passed the baby around.  Actually, Millie Janalee became a bit jealous and whiny while I held Selah Grace.  Ahem.  We have some work to do there, I believe.  Ha!  She had lots of people around to play and distract her though.

Russ and Millie Janalee

Uncle Howard makes a great cushy seat!

Kissy face!

Pawpaw was demonstrating how Millie Janalee felt in her new scarf from Clancy and Jack. Ha!

"But, all I wanna do is give her a kiss!" -Millie Janalee

Fire extinguisher drink dispenser from Millie Janalee

Uncie Bucket and Millie Janalee

Hughes's first tie!

Uncie Bucket went shopping for Selah Grace all by himself, and this is what he got!  Camo with pink lace!  Perfect!

Selah Grace and Uncle Dennis

It was a fun celebration, but we all knew there was a piece of our family missing.  This was our first Christmas without Pops.  My family had spent Christmas Day watching old videos from when my parents were a young married couple.  It contained several Christmases at Nonnie and Pops's house.  My mom thanked us for helping her get past that milestone - watching a video with Nonnie and Pops in it.  It was the first time she did since they died.  Kristin and Lee gave us all a priceless gift.  A painting by a friend of hers of Nonnie and Pops.  It is a picture of them on the beach during our last Panama City Beach trip with both of them.  It's kinda the image we all still see when we go to the beach.

There were tears.  And smiles. 

Uncle Howard and Mama

Life is moving forward.  We miss Nonnie and Pops so much, but we have precious and hilarious memories forever.  A new generation is beginning.  And so far, it looks beautiful...

Millie Janalee and Selah Grace are the same difference in age as Clancy and I were.  This is so fun and exciting, because I remember the fun and trouble Clancy and I got into.  I know there are some crazy fun days ahead!  However, when you look at these two girls now, it looks like "Honey I Blew Up the Kid!"  Millie Janalee looks like a giant baby next to Selah Grace!  Haha!

Big baby...tiny baby!

She loves that baby so much and wants to kiss her and pat her and probably hang her upside down just like she does her baby dolls.  Haha!  Selah Grace wasn't sure what to think about this giant baby-looking thing crawling all over her.

Kisses!

"Help, Mama!"

I remember those days.  Baby days.  And, OH, how I miss them!  But I wouldn't trade this personality for anything...

Before we finished our photo session, Uncie Bucket came down in his onesie sleeper!  Now, THAT is a giant baby!  And he is and always will be the "baby" in our family.  Or as he calls it - "the favorite."  We couldn't pass up photos of the "Onesie Party!"

Classic

Pawpaw performing trying to get the babies to smile.

You just never know what you'll find when you enter this house!

Before Millie Janalee went to bed, we gave her a chance to hold the baby.  It was a sweet.  And funny when she kept pulling Selah Grace's paci out of her mouth.  Until she sneezed ALL OVER the baby!  Oh my.  I should've known that was coming.  At least she tried to cover her mouth.

So that was the end of the photos.  Ha!

Clancy and Selah Grace

I am thankful for the memories made and the time spent with our families over the Christmas holidays.  We are truly blessed!  It was certainly a Happy Christmas!

Santa Came to Visit!

...well, not a creature was stirring in the house except for Millie Janalee.  She was restless all night and would whimper here and there going back to sleep immediately.  So, I never went up to check on her until she started crying pretty good.  My mom actually beat me to it.  I don't think my mom ever actually went to sleep that night.  She was working in the kitchen and helping Santa maybe.  It wasn't long until I heard my mom calmly call out for help on the monitor.  Russ and I raced up the stairs unsure of what was going on.  Millie Janalee had gotten sick, and it was everywhere.  My mom went to change clothes and put hers and Millie Janalee's pajamas in the wash, Russ went back to bed for his early morning, and I took over rocking duty.  She went immediately back to sleep, but she was so pitiful.  It was obvious she didn't feel good.  Around 6 or so that morning, my mom came in and offered to rock her for awhile.  We were so afraid she was getting the stomach virus.  Thankfully, she was not.

Needless to say, when Kristin and Lee arrived to see what Santa brought, I decided to let Millie Janalee sleep in.  We sat on the stairs...the same stairs we waited on for the past 20 years or more...waiting on everyone to get ready.

And, yes, my brother has on adult footie pajamas.

We walked into the living room to find that Santa did enjoy his milk and cookies from Millie Janalee.  We also found many fun surprises from the big man himself!

Yummy!

He came!

Millie Janalee's loot from Santa

It looks like Santa had a little bit of help this year.  He came twice for Millie Janalee!

Since Millie Janalee wasn't awake to see what Santa brought her, us big kids got to dig in first. 

Dustin always puts on all his clothes and accessories he gets for Christmas.

Santa even came for me!

This portrait took my breath away!  Santa secretly talked and conspired with Mike Wharton to draw this exquisite graphite portrait of our precious baby girl.  He captured her perfectly!  Every detail.  Beautiful framed perfection.  Mike and my mom were in art class together in junior high and went through school together.  He is still in the Jackson area.  I highly recommend him for any portrait you would like commissioned. Head on over to his website to see more of his work.

After looking at all our gifts from Santa and a delicious breakfast prepared by my mom, Lee got busy putting one of Millie Janalee's gifts together.  Santa didn't put it together during the night because the hammering was so loud.  Lee needs the practice anyway.

Around 11:00, Kristin and I decided to go wake Millie Janalee before Kristin and Lee had to leave for another family Christmas.  Lawsy, I think they have 16 different family celebrations.  Haha!  Millie Janalee opened her little weak eyes and stared at us and her little angel doll.  Poor thing had a rough night.  And we never put a new top on her, because we didn't want to wake her up once she went back to sleep last night.

I put some fresh pajamas on her before bringing her down to see her surprises.  She gasped and said, "What's this?!"  It was just so cute!  Of course, she went for the big, bright colored things first.  Her new "clubhouse" for Susu and Pawpaw's house and her Cozy Coup.  She was a fan!

"[gasp] What's this!?"

Santa obviously had help this year with this big setup.

Checking out her stocking

It's a car my size!

"What else is in here?"

After some convincing, she made her way over to the rest of her Santa loot.  Thank goodness for the xylephone!  The sounds of the music is what lured her out of the clubhouse.  Ha!  We spent some more time exploring all the fun activities, books, and toys sitting around her brand new chair.

Such a musical talent!

"Let me check out this movie."

Another stocking

Susu helping her through her new tunnel

Sadly, Russ had to work Christmas Day so he missed it all.  I made sure to video everything for him.  We watched it that night...where I realized exactly how long it took for Millie Janalee to look through all her surprises.  Ha!

The rest of the morning was spent playing with our toys.  Big boy toys and baby toys.  Everyone enjoyed the blessings and thoughtfulness of Santa and his elves.  Lee and Kristin are set for baby Hughes, Millie Janalee and I are ready for Disney, and Russ was able to get his iPad Mini with Retina Display with his money and Amazon gift cards.  He's very happy.  Dustin has already had a little bonfire at his house with his new firepit.

All is well.

Lee trying out his new camera.

Trying to link up

"Whoa!  A little chair my size!"

She kisses everything these days!

"Hey baby!"

Pawpaw taking her for a ride

Although our Christmas Eve ended with a yucky night, Millie Janalee still loved all her gifts!  She was such happy girl.  Of course she was on the "Nice" list this year!  She's been a trooper through quite a lot lately.  She's flown, gone through customs, visited other countries, road tripped, froze through parades and carriage rides, and more!

We determined that her yucky night was due to exhaustion.  Everything finally caught up to her.  She didn't eat much and was quite clingy all day.  But after another good night's rest and staying in pajamas for 36+ hours, she was back to her silly, spunky self!

Merry Christmas to my happy girl!