Christmas in the 'Ham...

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!! This year, for the first time in many years, we spent it with David's family in Birmingham. Now, let me explain. I wasn't being blatantly partial; David's brother had a ministry job that meant that he only got Thanksgiving off, so we spent Thanksgivings with them 'cause of that. But this year, David's mom wanted us, even if the BFamilyClan couldn't be there, too, so Seth spent his first Christmas in B'ham. And what a whirlwind Christmas it was! David didn't have a ton of time off, seeing that he drew the short straw for being on-duty at his office since he is, literally, the lowest attorney on the totem pole. So we flew down on Saturday and got home the day after Christmas. But we made the most of our time there...

It was a packed house. This is my favorite pic from the visit, and it was taken on Bill and Diana's air bed. Everybody got a bedroom of sorts, but not everyone got one with a door that closed. =)And some of us did, but we also got to sleep with a restless, teething baby and would've preferred to put him in someone else's bedroom. Have I mentioned he finally has two tiny teeth poking through his bottom gums! That's enough of a gift for me to crank up the Hallelujah Chorus any day, not just Christmas!

Aunt Patty, Uncle Max, and their three boys, Andy, Chris, and Fred, spent the weekend with us. For any who know them, that means we played bridge. A lot of bridge. Because that's what ya do when the Kattners come to call. I am so bad at bridge that I attempt to stay out of the line of fire with this crowd, unless they're in desperate need of a 4th. And then, I'm quaking in my boots. Any of them can take you down in bridge. The boys learned to play in their cribs with cardboard playing cards and "The Sesame Street Bridge Primer for Preschoolers" as their guide. I'll leave it up to you to decide if I'm kidding or not. Beware...

David's Aunt Judy comes to every holiday gathering. After all, she's pretty much immediate family, since she lived with David's folks during a short span of his teenage years. I guess that initiation is all that you need. She is a very expressive storyteller. I call this Seth's "See, Aunt Judy is crazy" face. It was preceeded by this look.

"Ok, I'm looking at her, and I'm pretty sure she's nutso. I mean, Daddy doesn't even do the voices like this. Now I shall smirk." See above. We all adore Aunt Judy. She lives in Richmond, and we don't see her enough.

These are the fruits of the Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest for People with No True Artistic Talent. Occasionally, an accident will occur, and a cookie will look like something you could sell in a bakery. And no one is more shocked than the person that painted that cookie. Of course, having painted that cookie doesn't guarantee you votes for Best Cookie, Cookie with Most Icing, or Cookie that Looks Least Like What the Cutter Was. David's stated goal in this contest is to cover his cookies with the most icing possible, since taste matters far more to him than looks. He also usually wins the contest. It's never because he's trying. Isn't that infuriating?

Seth has picked a "lovey." We've waited and observed, and we're calling it. We affectionately call him "Monkey." As in "See Monkey? Please stop crying and hug Monkey, Seth." He grins and reaches for him with a squeal. And this is the only animal or toy or whatever that he grabs for and holds while sucking his thumb. I think we have a winner. Now I just need to buy 3 more of Monkey in case Monkey 1 meets with any unforeseen accidents.

Ahh, yes, the aforementioned bridge players. That's Fred in the black Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt, and Andy is holding the baby on his lap. The baby is holding the black plastic tray that our airline sandwiches came on because we firmly believe that anything light, blunt, and unbreakable can be a toy. Considering that these guys don't see many babies, they were very good and very affectionate with him. What sweet boy cousins we have... And they managed to take David down in Risk during that late night game, and anyone that can do that will get a pat on the back from me and my undying respect. There are many, many things that this family did or said at Christmas, so many that all of them cannot be recorded on this blog, so if I've left something out, which I have, and you were there, and you're wanting to know where your part was, this is the best I can do before my morning shower. =) Merry Christmas to all...