A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I know it's been awhile since my last post. Work has been crazy. What can I say, time is money and mama's been workin! Where to start....we had a wonderful Christmas! A couple weeks before Christmas we decided to take Stella to see the Vitruvian Lights in Addison. It's a park where every single tree is covered in Christmas lights and each tree was a different color. I had never seen anything like it, it was beautiful. Truly breath taking, and of course Stella was completely unphased by it. She seamed interested when we got her up close to one of the trees, but that's only because she wanted to touch the lights. Other than that there was no reaction what-so-ever. We even got to see Santa while we were there and again she was unphased by him. She didn't cry or scream or anything. It was like she was bored being there. I'm not saying I wanted her to be unhappy but some sort of reaction or emotion would have been nice. We sat her on his lap and she just sat there with no expression at all. We were completely dumbfounded.

Clint and I are excited to be there....Stella is indifferent.

Stella with Santa. 

She was also unphased by our Christmas tree. Again, I was expecting some sort of reaction and nothing. She did freak out when she touched one of the branches. I think the bristles scared her. You would have thought the tree was on fire with how fast she snapped that little hand back after touching it. It was funny until she started crying, then I felt bad. 

I loved everything about Stella's first Christmas. From setting out her very own stocking with her name on it, to hanging up her first Christmas ornament on the tree and wrapping her presents. It even snowed on Christmas morning! I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. Stella got so many toys I don't even know where to put them all. Our poor house is over flowing with toys. Clint and I only got her a few things because I knew my mom, Kelly and mother-in-law were going to get her a lot stuff. We had so much fun opening her presents, she really got in to it and she was in to everything! I could barely keep her focused on one present because she kept trying to get to the next one.

Christmas outfit #1.

Christmas outfit #2.

Her New Year's eve dress. You can tell she's very 

excited about the night's festivities.

Look at all these presents!

Was trying to open one on her own.

Love that tushy!

Stella opening her first Christmas present.

So excited about all the gifts.

Sitting on her thrown.

Such a happy girl.

This is just part of her loot! There's more in her room.

I can't believe we had a white Christmas!

I was able to take the week after Christmas off and got to spend the whole week with my Stelly Bean. We've had an amazing time. I'm sad to have to go back to work tomorrow, but we'll have our time again. I can tell the bond we have grows stronger and stronger each day and although she loves her daddy I have a feeling she's going to be a mama's girl. :)

We've had a lot of major changes happen over the last few weeks. I'll touch more on them in later blog posts, but I can't help but mention a few of them now. Stella is finally in her crib, what what! Stop the presses, hold the phones, this is major news....my 8 month old is finally, thank you sweet baby Jesus, in her crib. I've loved having her in our room, but it was time. It took a good solid 2 weeks but she's finally getting used to it. And....wait for it....she started crawling! Just started today. I was so glad Clint and I were both home to see it. She rolled over for the first time at my mom's and that was a little hard to take. I'm so glad we were both here to witness this monumental event. :)

I thank God every day for my sweat little family and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next. We've been so blessed in 2012 it makes me excited and hopeful for 2013. This year, I'm hoping we find a church home to raise Stella in. The only thing that got me through high school unscathed was being a part of a youth group and being involved in church. It kept me grounded and focused on what really mattered and I want that for Stella. I also hope to finally lose this awful baby weight. I gained more than I wanted to with Stella, what can I say I enjoyed myself, and I'm paying for it now. I really need to start exercising and eating right. I can't keep saying "I just had a baby" because my baby is 8 months old and I don't think I can use that excuse any longer. :( Either way I am embracing 2013 with open arms. :)