Christmas!

Christmas is a great holiday for many reasons. First, it is special to us for what it represents: the birth of Jesus, our Savior. Secondly, we get to spend lots of time with family and friends. Thirdly, we get to eat a lot of great food. And, finally, I get days off work.

This year, we spent Christmas Day with Sam's family in Atherton. Sam and I rolled in late Tuesday night after a fun evening with Jeremy McChesney and the Brueckners in Walnut Creek. Sam's brother, T, got home that night from a vacation to Paris, and the Nicholson clan was complete. Here are some pictures of our time there:

Siena has been a wonderful sleeper so far (knocking on wood).



And even when alert, she is generally a cheerful baby.



Aunt Katie can't get enough Siena-time.



Grandpa Dennis got in on the cuddle-sesh.



Siena doesn't stick her tongue out as much as she used to, but we caught her doing it here.



You can always count on Grandma Chris for season-appropriate attire.

Siena is the sweetest little thing ever when she's sleeping (in the buff) or trying to wake up. We love her newfound rolls and the skinny little baby that greeted us in the hospital is a distant memory.



Provoking smiles and giggles is a popular pasttime.

Siena looks icy-cold here, but Sam tells me that the picture is simply "desaturated to reduce the vibrance." Sounds like Photoshop code for making people look cold, but Siena is a cute little nugget nonetheless.



Thigh-roll spotting!!!



Nudey, laughing baby with happy me.



Grandmas have a way of making babies happy. Experience is invaluable. Check out Chris's sweet earings, which double as baby-lures.

On Christmas Eve, we went to a church service at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church (MPPC), where they have SEVEN Christmas Eve services. Actually, they have three on "Christmas Adam" (the day before Christmas Eve) and four on Christmas Eve. It was quite spectacular, and we enjoyed the Christmas message by John Ortberg. The music at the service was highlighted by Eric Rigler, who has played the Uillean pipes and bagpipes in practically every movie you can think of that has that kind of music (Braveheart, Titanic, Cinderella Man, etc.).

Andy had to work Christmas morn', so we opened presents Christmas Eve after church. We were thrilled to find a new camera under the tree (picture quality will be even better, Sam tells me!).

I was also very happy to find a fruit-picker with my name on it.



Here, Andy is trying to diagnose the reason for Siena's crying.



Carcassonne is our new favorite board game. Andy introduced us to it, and he is good at giving people what he wants them to like. He succeeded in a big way with this game.



Andy examining his matching camera.



Sam is very happy about the turn of events (i.e. new camera).



T is still the master photographer in the family, and he has the camera to prove it.



Siena is wearing a cool Christmas outfit from Apple John and Ida Jane Heyser.



Carcassonne... GAME ON!



Christmas breakfast was yummy... monkey buns, eggs, and bacon.



Siena brings Dennis good luck when he does his crossword puzzles. Nothing else could explain his ability to come up with with answers to "impossible" crossword clues.



Siena isn't able to do the Monday crossword puzzles yet, but she'll get there soon enough.



Siena got one of those baby toys that's hard for me to describe... it's a colorful mat that has mirrors, noise-makers, and hanging stuffed animals, and it is designed to distract/entertain babies.



Taking a Christmas afternoon walk...



She looks like a foreign baby, but she was just cold.



Copper intentionally walks through every puddle for some reason.



My favorite.



More Carcassonne.



Andy is funny.



Yay for sleeping babies

On the day after Christmas, Sam got together with some friends from high school (Julie, Dana, Allyson, Erin, & Georgia.) Here are some pictures of them at Starbucks.

Julie.

Erin.

Dana (and Lori, who is not actually Sam's friend from high school, but she came with mama Dana, who is).

Georgia.

Allyson, Dana, and Lori.

Allyson, Julie, and Siena.



Slumberers.