Merry Christmas from the Raymonds!

Merry Christmas one and all. Due to my lack of organization and the events of the past few weeks - wait, months? - we didn't get Christmas cards out this year. Perhaps we should just plan on Christmas [cards] in July. Anyway, if we were on top of things, our card would say something like "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" with a cute little letter saying how awesome our life is. It has been quite the year! 2009 brought lots of good things to our family, but let's hope 2010 is less eventful! Seriously, I'm ready for that. Bruce got up at 6:00 this morning like any other day. The only unusual kink in his routine was that he woke up his cousin, Jared. Scott's sister, Lana, and her hubby and two boys are staying with us. Bruce and Jared have been sharing a room, and Bruce makes it a point to awaken everyone - guests and all. Think twice before you stay with us! After we were all awake, we opened presents. I was wondering if Bruce would still savor every gift like he did last year, or if he would rip the paper off everything and complain about what he didn't get (I'm convinced that this will happen someday). Thankfully, he enjoyed every gift and even shouted out "This is just what I wanted!" a few times.Bruce made this awesome "gingerbread house" a few days ago. It's actually a few graham crackers glued together with chocolate frosting. He proudly decorated it with Smarties, M&Ms, chocolate chips, licorice, and Swedish fish. He's been eating one piece off of it a day, and today he gets to eat whatever he wants on it. Ewww.

Merry Christmas!

Phoebe's Blessing

Do you ever want something really bad, but don't ask for it because it's just asking for too much, but then somehow get what you want anyway?

That's what our Sunday was like. Because of the recent move, we switched church congregations. We see a new crowd every Sunday and it's been hard meeting new people (with a new baby that I don't want people to breathe on and the holidays upon us, it's a perfect recipe for how not to meet people). In our church, there is a baby blessing ceremony; I wanted in my heart of hearts to go to the old congregation for the baby blessing because that's where all of our dearest friends are (no offense, new people - we just don't know you yet). But we decided to have the baby blessing with the new congregation - just trying to follow protocol. Protocol was thrown to the wind when a huge snowstorm blew in Saturday night. By Sunday morning, our congregation had canceled church! But our old congregation delayed it by six hours. We made a few phone calls and got to be with our old friends for the baby blessing.
Phoebe looked beautiful. My mom had the skirt of my wedding dress chopped up and made into a blessing dress for Phoebe. The actual blessing was simple and beautiful. Phoebe didn't cry during the blessing; afterward she started spitting out her nose though, so we had to go walk the hall for a minute until she calmed down.

All in all, we had a wonderful experience. Thanks, Ellen, for all the awesome pictures.

Big Brother

When Bruce takes his mid-day nap, he usually asks if I can lay down with him for one minute. When I got big and pregnant, I told him I'd lay my head down next to him because he's at the top of a loft bed and I didn't want to climb up. After the C-section, I still didn't want to climb up for a few weeks so I was still doing the one-minute head-nap.

For the past few days, Bruce has been asking if Phoebe can lay next to him for one minute. And sometimes he asks if she can lay on his chest. She loves being held and he loves being a proud, active big brother. I love that for a few moments, everyone is calm.

Way to go, Ben

Looks like my little brother is learning something in college...



My brother stars in several roles in this lovely video, including the "girl" with a mop on her head and the guy who loves his complementary companion because they love each other. Awww.

Ben is putting the ladies, and college, on hold for two years. In January, he will be going on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Hartford, Connecticut. Maybe I'll get to see him at some point?

Phoebe Photos

We are finally connected to the internet, so here is some eye candy of the little lady. She looks so much like Bruce did that it's a little creepy. We definitely have to dress her in pink and accessorize so I don't have serious de ja vu. I can't say it enough: it is sooooo good to have Phoebe home. The other day I was flipping channels on the radio while driving and came across a reggae station that I played pretty much every night while driving to the hospital. I couldn't listen to it long; reggae is now connected with that nasty hospital experience in my mind. Bummer. "Mom, the lens is too close!" One of the many perks of being out of the hospital is finally getting some good lighting for photos!