December 2009

Here are a few cute videos we took of Maya in December.  

This first video is Maya making some hilarious noises while sitting on the potty.  It must have made her mouth tickle in addition to sounding pretty funny.  If you are looking for a good laugh, then take a look at this.  Enjoy!
 

This second video is too precious.  It is quite long but I couldn't resist and thought the grandparents would enjoy watching it!  Maya was watching daddy as he worked outside in the snow.  Jay was clearing off the deck and putting up Christmas lights in -30 weather.  What a guy!  However Maya desperately wanted to be out there with him but it was just too cold.  Here she is watching him from the window.  

Christmas this year was truly blessed.  It was filled with family and friends and we created many wonderful memories!  We were very fortunate to be able to stay in Calgary for Christmas this year.  In the 10 years that we have been married and living in Calgary, we have traveled back to Saskatchewan every year to spend it with our family.  We are very fortunate that both our families live in the same town so where we spend Christmas each year has always been very easy but the packing and long drives, often in wintery conditions, and rushing around to different houses and holiday get-togethers has led to many very busy holiday seasons.  This year with an active toddler and being pregnant, we decided to spend the holidays at home in Calgary with the hopes that perhaps some family could join us here.  We were so fortunate that my mom and grandma (Maya's baba) and my brother and sister-in-law made the journey to Calgary to spend Christmas with us.  

 Cozy Christmas decorations!

 We were all very spoiled on Christmas morning.  There are gifts of Maya's that are upstairs in the closet and still in their boxes because there were just too many of them.  It was overwhelming for her so we tried to keep it down to just a few that we opened for her to play with.  We'll open the rest periodically over the next few months to rotate the toys a bit.  Although we all loved sharing gifts with each other, the gifts were a distant second to the great time we had as a family and we captured some nice family shots too.

These are two of my favorites of Maya, baba and me.

 

Some family pics

A beloved gift of Maya's was a wooden sled that baba bought for her.  We had a very mild Christmas holiday in terms of weather and so we took the sleigh out often.  Baba, of course, got to give Maya her first ride and you couldn't deny the smile on both of their faces.   

We also spent some wonderful time with friends who are like family.  Tom, Lorrie and their kids came over and we had our annual Carter/Madore Christmas celebration.  Maya is just in love with Uncle Tom and couldn't get enough of him.  At one point she even preferred to sit on Tom's lap instead of daddy's and we all looked on with our mouth's hanging open.  Maya is a daddy's girl all the way so to see her take such a liking to Tom was surprising and very sweet. 

 

 

On boxing day we had our friends Jenn & Alan over for dinner along with Jenn's mom and dad.  What a fun time we had talking and laughing together.  My mom was so happy to be reminded what amazing friends we have here in Calgary and it sounds like Jenn's mom felt the same way.  Both our families live away from Calgary and I think it gives them comfort knowing that we are there for each other when our parents can't be.  I am thankful for that too.  And as per usual, it seems, Jenn & Alan brought another gift for Maya.  They always seem to have something for her.  This time they outdid themselves buying Maya a fairy tea party set which she hasn't stopped playing with since along with a tinker bell fairy dress up costume.  It is so sweet and Maya adores it.  She thinks she looks just lovely in her frills and crinoline and I can't disagree.  It was such an indulgent gift and so like Jenn & Alan to think of that for her.  Alan even taught her how to play tea party - what a great guy!  Here are a few pictures of Maya in her fairy get-up!  

                                                                                                             

By December 28th everyone had gone back home and the house was starting to feel quite empty but fortunately my cousin Darcie and her husband Chris were coming for a visit to celebrate New Year's.  It was amazing to have so much family here over the holidays.  Darcie and I grew up together as cousins but it feels more like we are sisters.  We always have so many laughs and enjoy every moment we spend together always making fun memories! Likely our best memory of our last visit was the trip we took out to Canmore on New Year's Day for a sleigh ride.  The four of us also went with Jenn & Alan and started out the new decade together.  I could not have thought of a better way to do it.  The ranch we went to was a small one owned by an elderly couple who clearly take great pride in what they do.  We were the only ones on the sleigh ride that day which was very cozy and we enjoyed hearing stories of days past and the history of their ranch.  And what a spectacular setting! With the mountains as our backdrop and snow all around us, we all cuddled under the blankets on the sleigh and laughed and talked and shared in the beauty of the day.  Afterward, Maya fed the horses and we all warmed up in the tack house with hot chocolate and some lunch.  It was a day to remember!

 Darcie in the tack house

Pics of us enjoying the ride!

Here Maya is riding up front watching the horses.  We couldn't have peeled her away if we tried - she was in her glory!

                                                                                                                                                                            

Here are a couple videos of the sleigh ride and of Maya feeding the horses.  Enjoy!