Christmas - take 3

Yeah!! I'm finally getting around to posting about Christmas now that January is almost over. (There are 3 additional posts about Christmas below this one)

It was Eliza's first Christmas. Her parents were probably a bit more excited about it than she was, but I think she had fun nonetheless. We had the privilege of celebrating Christmas three times this year (2011). We celebrated the real Christmas day in Erda, Ut with the Richards, another Christmas in Evanston, Wy with the Porters, and a 3rd Christmas (on January 6) in Lansdale, Pa with just the three of us. It is actually traditional in Spain to celebrate Christmas on January 8th, a day referred to as Three Kings Day, and we thought about waiting until then. However, we were too excited about what Santa Claus brought to Eliza.

Although it is always fun to travel and visit with family, it is also nice to return home. After a long flight, in which Eliza did well once again, we finally made it back to Pennsylvania on Jan. 4th. One of the benefits of marrying a professor is we get a long Christmas break

Baby Cakes opening presents.



She was super excited about the boxes, even though she didn't really know what was going on.





Of course she enjoyed the wrapping paper too.


She got some fun new toys which she enjoys playing with. A post about play time is coming soon.




Bruce and I both got new suits. Look how handsome Bruce is in his new pin stripped suit.



I was so surprised but really excited after I opened these babies. Aren't they the rockinest pajamas. Baby Cakes was just as excited as I was about these. After she saw my reaction, she squealed and shrieked with delight, flailed her arms and legs with enthusiasm, and giggled uncontrollably.


I was joking with Bruce that I thought it would be awesome to have some leopard printed footie pajamas. Little did I know that he would take me up on that thought and search on the Internet until he found them. Although pink is not my favorite color, it's the only leopard print he could find, and I am definitely not complaining. After I opened them, I wanted to wear them everywhere. Lucky for me they came with a tag that clearly outlined inappropriate uses of footed pajamas. They read:
- job interviews - first date - hot yoga
- spacesuit -hazmat outfit -bathing suit
- bridesmaid's gown - arraignment - funerals (or pall bearer)
-giving a lecture - sanity hearing - runway shows
- black tie events - dinner at your boss' house
- midwife - when doing the trapeze
- bullfighting - appearance in a swimsuit issue
- hula hoop demonstration -guarding Buckingham palace
- surfing -performing surgery - board meeting
- scuba diving -parole hearing - exotic dancing (darn!)
- character witness - Olympic level ice dancing
- receiving Nobel Prize (guess I'll need to get a new outfit for that)
- defending your thesis - race driver uniform - sky diving
- Ren Faire costume - to the Opera - armed robbery
- first tenor in the chorus of Les Mis
- to meet your fiancee's parents for the 1st time
- the female lead in Swan Lake - your 2nd appearance on American Idol
- presidential debates - jury duty - audience with the Pope
- piano recital - Shakespearean audition
- your 1st cotillion - traffic cop - The Tour de France
- psychotherapy - especially if you are the doctor
- when proposing marriage - trying to get a loan
- high tea - tai chi competitions

We spent the day in usual B&B Richards family fashion - eating cinnamon rolls and watching Christmas movies. We watched some new ones this year - the classic Home Alone and Home Alone 2 Lost in New York. Bruce gave them to me for Christmas.
Mostly we enjoyed being together, and we're grateful that Eliza is in our family and got to spend Christmas with us. Family togetherness is the most fun of Christmas. Who says you can't celebrate Christmas everyday?