Christmas Day 2009

This was the plan, wake up when we wake up, have a lazy morning, go to church with Mamie, come home around noon right about the time Uncle Daniel and Aunt Lauren were due to arrive, open stockings and presents before Grandpa left to do the nursing home service, eat a big dinner...

This was what happened... woke up when we woke up...

C was a bit excited by what was waiting downstairs, but the frenetic movement in this first shot is more normative than Christmas morning special. She played with one of the oranges at the foot of the stockings as if it were a ball.





... then went to church. C received Christmas morning communion and had fun exploring the Cathedral after the service.



After church, Uncle Daniel and Aunt Lauren were running a bit late and Caroline was getting VERY sleepy. She nursed for just a few minutes and fell soundly asleep. So... adults opened stockings and presents and Caroline's stocking and present opening were delayed until later.




Caroline's Great Grandma Barbara (known to my generation as bama, does that make her great bama?) is a resident in the nursing home where grandpa (my dad) is a chaplain. He does a worship service for those residents who are interested on Christmas afternoon. I think he also delivers candy canes to all the residents. I've never attended this service, but decided that this presented a good opportunity to visit bama and introduce Caroline to her maternal great grandmother. I also thought that bringing a baby in her Christmas finest to a nursing home could help to brighten Christmas day for folks. Indeed, one of the residents who came to the service said "You make Christmas, baby!" And bama and her roommate were most pleased to meet her. Hannah, bama's roommate, wanted to hold Caroline, but she wasn't yet letting other folks hold her. Hannah shared a singing dog that she had with Caroline and this was a delight to our girl.




Then it was time for Caroline's stocking and presents. She was frequently distracted by the cats in the process of opening presents, but... as the days unfolded she enjoyed each and every present she received. She ended up with a bow on her butt and her head... we didn't do this... she did! I don't have a butt shot, but you can see the bow she kept on her head for some time. I don't have any pics of C with the musical cube that was an instant hit! Sorry... I might have a video, but I have too many pics to post to take time for video posting now.







And then we ate a big meal. No pics of that to share. A good day!