Random acts of cuteness

Once Hannah recovered from her first bout with illness, we had the incredible pleasure of remembering what an awesome, fun, hilarious kid we have!  Seriously, she is kind of awesome.

This is not to say that she is easy and well behaved all of the time - I think Leonidas would really appreciate it if she stopped dropping her cup on his head while he snacks on the food she throws overboard. every. single. meal.  But while she was sick, we sort of forgot what it's like when she's not sick, when she's herself.  And it is pretty great.

Looking super stylish with her head wrap and boots

Whipping up some fancy treats in her kitchen

Enjoying her blueberries, even when she misses her mouth

Catching up on some reading

Enjoying a play date with friends

Looking just a little extra mischievous

Trying to break out of baby jail

Exploring the snow in all its winter glory

Getting super excited about her applesauce pouch, which is only slightly less messy than her blueberries

Already sticking out her tongue at me....should I be worried?? :)

Sick babies are the saddest

Poor Hannah had a tough week - she was sick for the very first time.  She's had the sniffles here and there, but not like this.  I mean, the girl was sick for real - high fever, cough, runny nose, lethargic, and to top it all off, pink eye.  We should have bought stock in Kleenex for all that we used cleaning her eyes and nose!

Ten days, three trips to the doctor, and four prescriptions later, and she is almost all the way back to normal :)  I've got to say, it's good to have her back - she's a sad little peanut when she's sick!

Her cheeks were all flushed with the fever

We tried to keep her spirits up with some Christmas jammies in January :)

Putting on a brave face

After two trips to the Urgent Care, it was time to bring in the big guns - hooray for pediatricians!

Oh I've got friends in (cold) places...

Alex and I are incredibly blessed to have some great friends in Chicago.  It's icing on the cake when we travel there - we get to enjoy time with family AND we get to catch up with old friends.  This visit was particularly fun because in addition to seeing our grown-up friends, Hannah got to meet some baby friends too!  And let me tell you, there is nothing cuter than baby friends :)

Natalie (left) was a great hostess for Hannah and Aubree (right)!

They looked so sweet sharing toys and checking each other out!

Three families, three amazing girls, and one really fun evening of catching up!

Haddie, who is just a few months older than Hannah, was showing off some serious walking skills!

Love a good coffee date with this lady!

Let it snow!

We don't get much snow in our part of the country, so I was so glad that Chicago delivered a white Christmas!  We got to take Hannah out in the snow for the first time and as always, she was pretty cute about it.

We got her all bundled up in her snowsuit, hat, mittens, and boots and made our way to the back yard.  As you might imagine, the snowsuit, while it did keep her warm, did not allow for much...movement.  If you've ever watched "A Christmas Story", it was an "I can't put my arms down" type of moment.

She didn't seem to mind the cold at all, and I'm confident she'll have a lot more fun next time when she can run around, and build snowmen, and sled and enjoy all the fun activities that only snow provides!

Like I said, "I can't put my arms down!"

With a little help from Nana, she was jumping around in the snow like a champ!

Dad helped her make a snow angel!

Papa gave her a lift too, and she flashed a grin that really shows off those new chompers!

Fun in the snow!

Aw my sweet girl.  And don't judge my hat.  It is an awesome hat and this was probably my only chance to wear it all winter!

Dad helps her make a snow angel...I try to get her to eat snow.  Dad 1, Mom 0 :)

Hannah's first Christmas

After wrapping up the wedding festivities in Columbus, we continued our journey westward to celebrate Hannah's first Christmas in Chicago with my family!  We were there for a week, and there were waaaaay too many fun and hilarious pictures for just one post, so this is going to be part one of a three part series.  Get excited :)

Gotta start with the reason for the season - celebrating Christmas and the birth of our Savior.  I have to say, it was different experience this year to read Mary's story of giving birth in a stable and sing about Jesus as a baby after having given birth and while holding a baby.  Something about the innocence and complete dependence of a baby contrasted with the glory of the angels proclaiming the birth of the Lord...it just struck me in a new way.

Of course, since our girl had been very good this year, Santa was very good to her, and Christmas morning was a blur of wrapping paper and brightly-colored plastic, all shaped in various ways and singing various tunes.  It was all so much fun - I got glimpse of what it will be like in the coming years to experience Christmas morning through fresh eyes, the eyes of a child again.  So much joy :)

Hannah got to sneak a peak at some of her haul on Christmas Eve...

...and she liked what she saw :)

Our sweet girl looked so beautiful all dressed up for church

Our little family :)

Nana and Papa give some great hugs!

It's Christmas morning!

As predicted, the biggest hits were the bows and wrapping paper :)

Hannah let me help open some of her gifts

"Santa!!!  I know him!!!"

Basking in the glow of her very first phone

What did I tell you - great hugs :)

Enjoying the post-Christmas morning coma with great grandpa