Holidays and Blessings!

We have had a great holiday season! The holidays with a child are so different than in previous years as a childless couple, but we are enjoying it thoroughly! We thought we'd start this post with a sweet snapshot that Scott took of Greta last week in the bathtub. She loves her bath time and is always very happy to be kicking around and swimming in the bathtub. She's about outgrown her little baby bath, though. I think she is about to graduate into a bigger bath seat!

Doesn't her hand look tasty?

Greta's first Christmas was fun - fairly uneventful for her! We went over to my sister's house on Christmas Eve for some family time. My brother, Bruce, is in from Dallas for the holidays. We played games (not Scott's favorite activity, but he was a trooper and played along!) and opened presents. It was fun to watch Kerri's girls' excitement about the presents!

Scott took some pictures of Greta on Christmas day, playing in her exersaucer. I don't think you can read it in any of the photos we've chosen to post, but she's wearing her "Baby's 1st Christmas" onesie. Gotta' commemorate it somehow!

The beginning of a laugh

Christmas happiness

Greta and her bodyguard, Butch

Aunt Jolie and Aunt Shonda came by to visit us on Christmas day. They got to give Greta some love, and they brought Greta a new doll that Jolie got in China. It speaks Chinese to her and she LOVES it. (self disclosure: If I'm honest, I might be SLIGHTLY more in love with the doll than she is. I can't quit pushing it's belly and repeating everything it says. Scott is ready to either throw me or the doll...or both....out of the house if my new Chinese language skills don't stop soon.)

Aunt Jolie loving on Gigi

Since Scott has been home more over the holidays, he has been keeping busy creating music with a program he has on the computer. (I sometimes think this is to escape from my newfound Chinese language skills) There are days when we hear lots of crazy beats playing in our living room. The other day, Greta got her most fly lid out and sat down with dad to help him create some music.

Daddy and his girl, mixing music

This morning, Greta had her baby blessing at our church. It was so nice, and Greta did great. Aunt Kerri, Aunt Sue, Aunt Vadsana, and Aunt Da sang two songs for her and she LOVED the song "Lullaby" (by the Dixie Chicks) that they sang. She sat on the front row staring with very wide eyes and smiling. I wish we could have captured her reaction on camera. It was too cute. She also sat very quietly during her blessing.

The blessing

After the blessing

My sister also got ordained to be a minister in our church! (The Koehler family was kind of hogging the service...we can admit it) I know many people who read this blog are members of my denomination, but for those of you who aren't, it is a really big deal, and it was a very special day for both Greta and my sister. I am really proud of both of them!

Kerri's ordination

After the blessing, we decided we needed a family photo, but Greta had missed her morning nap and was in no state to pose for a photo. We had to snap one quick and get on the road so this kid could get her sleep!

The happy family!

After church, our car broke down east of the Plaza! We sat on Cleaver Blvd waiting for the tow truck. There were a few positive sides to the timing of our breakdown. #1 - We broke down on the way BACK from church and not on the way TO church. #2 - Since Greta did not have her morning nap, she was OUT the entire time we were sitting on the side of the road, which is NOT typical for her. She usually wakes the moment the engine turns off! Anyway, we were rescued by my father and our AAA membership!