My Favorite Things

Several times while everyone was home the song, My Favorite Things, went through my head. As I hummed it, I couldn't help but think that there were some favorite things that I would remember from this very special Christmas......

....baby cousins still in their sleepers enjoying some floor time by the light of the Christmas tree early in the mornings, before the rest of the house was up.

.....Caily helping her Bupa vacuum up the floors(with that many little ones around there was also something that needed to be picked up)

.....watching the faraway Uncle and Auntie getting to know their nephews.                                                      

....seeing a very determined Auntie win over Lexi long before the rest of us were able to hold her without her crying for her Mommy(they were dancing together when this picture was taken.)

.....seeing Lexi learn how to crawl on Christmas Eve.

......going for walks with whoever was around and enjoying the beautiful, crisp, clear days of winter.

.....being there when my mother, who has spent the last half of the year in hospital, got a 4-day pass so they could fly out on Christmas Eve and meet their new great-grandchildren.

....seeing the incredible love between a grandfather and his special 'Sweetpea'. This hug was just one of many that they shared over the 12 days she was here.

  .....watching my father read a book to two of his great-grandchildren. They were captivated by the story and kept bringing him more books!(we had to delay their dinner so they could finish the book on Christmas Eve!)

.....hearing the sounds of little fingers on my piano, the one that I learned to play on almost 50 years ago, and then to come into the room and see Aidan and Caily sitting on the bench and Jaxon standing on tiptoes to play along!

......having all of our children and grandchildren at the dinner table at one time instead of just one family at a time. It was total chaos but so much fun!

......walking into the room and seeing that my mom was actually holding her youngest great-grandson. We weren't sure that this day would come.

......being captivated by a little man and his incredible smiles that will make my heart sing on some gloomy days.

.....taking time in the midst of all the busy-ness to rock a baby to sleep and then to just sit and enjoy watching him sleep. It just doesn't get any better than that!

.....celebrating the gift of life with our daughters, two sisters who live thousands of miles apart but who this Christmas got to hold each other's babies and just hang out together.

.....going shopping with all three of my girls! What fun we had together when Megs, Heather, Jody, Lexi, Kai and I went shopping for their Christmas gifts! We got asked several times if they were twins and it was just sooooo much fun to watch everyone pick out their own gifts(clothes they wanted and liked).

.....having my arms full and loving every minute of it!

These are a few of my favorite things.....