2nd XMas!!

Before we get to the bad news on the topic of teething, lets recap a great Christmas spent with all kinds of family this year!...Mommy’s immediate family, Daddy’s immediate family and a rare Christmas Day spent with Mommy’s extended family during which Katie got to meet many more Aunts and Uncles for the very first time aka my many cousins, Aunts and Uncles.

Our 2nd Christmas morning pix.

Katie’s 2nd Christmas celebration started on Chrstimas Eve Eve (12/23/09). We had homemade pizzas for dinner at my parent’s house. My brother John was nice enough to go out the night before to get the pizza stone for baking and a few essential ingredients. My sisters Annie and Tina chipped in with a few more ingredients and by sunset, we were ready to boggy. The first pizzas by Yogi and Tina were The Bomb…literally…hahaha… not bad though says Dad. Next up was Arnold and Lily’s OCD pizza…hahaha…it was perfect down the symmetrical rows of ham and pepperoni. Then Dad and John…it took them a little while but they managed to produce an eatable product :o) We had a lot of fun and Katie even got into the tasting. She loves nibbling on the crest!

The following night, we spent the evening at Uncle Derek’s (Yogi’s older brother’s) house. As usual, grandma made lots of yummy traditionally Chinese food. Plus, Auntie Jaynie baked Auntie Anh’s turkey and brought over all sorts of traditional American side dishes. Auntie Fil contributed a ham and we heated up meat balls from Costco. Best of all the nieces and nephews brought over jello shots and cases of beer…hmmm…. Guess they’re shooting for us old folks to make them more cousins?!...hahaha…

Bryan, last to arrive with the best stuff.

There were many high points to the Le Christmas. Auntie Jaynie led the Macarena dance with the nieces (with their bfs) and nephews which they did years ago when they were half the age they are now. Also, we were especially thankful for the safe return of our marine, Milton who was serving in Afghanistan just days prior. Then finally, the time to open presents. This year the two youngest in the family Tyrus (18 months) and Katie (16 months) were able to tear through their gifts like everybody else. They didn’t care much for the clothes or shoes but they sure loved their toys.

This year Christmas landed on a day to pay respect to my Aunt who past away a year ago. My Mom’s extended family and friends gathered to watch the demonstration of shamans do their magic in helping my Aunt in the after life. Afterwards, we mingled at the dinner table with cousins and caught up with one another. It was not the best of occasions but we managed to make the best of it enjoying eachother’s company and watching the Lakers get embarrassed by King James…haha…

Hope everyone had as memorable of a Christmas as we did. It never fails to get better every year!!