Laila's 1st Christmas!

We had tons of fun celebrating Laila's 1st Christmas this year with family and friends! As usual, we took lots and lots of pictures. Hope you enjoy the inside view of our 2008 holiday season! The words underneath the pictures are what we think Laila might be thinking or would say if she could talk, in case you didn't already figure that out yourself from past blogs!!! :)

Laila and Addie Millsaps meeting for the first time at the TFA Faculty Christmas Party!

Isaac came over for a visit a few days before Christmas!

Aren't we so cute together?!!!

I had lots of fun!

Relaxing with Daddy

Daddy gives the best foot massages while he's getting my toes all clean!

The festivities begin a little early this year celebrating Christmas with Grandpa & Nonna Schuck!

Daddy with my Aunt Susie and Aunt Bekah

Aunt Bekah and her boyfriend Roy

Opening my first Christmas present!

Mommy & Daddy say I'm the best gift they got this year!

I love hanging out with Grandpa Schuck!

Look at the cool toy I got! Thanks Grandpa & Nonna!

Yay!!! It's my first Christmas Eve!

Aunt Holly and Scooter getting ready for family to come over

Scooter in his little elf costume!

Santa and Santa's little helper!

Aunt Holly gave me this pretty dress to wear for Christmas Eve with the Lail Family!

Grandpa Lail makes me laugh! He says I have such a pretty smile!

The Lail Family (well at least most of us!)

Mommy & Daddy love my new pajamas...they always say I'm their bundle of joy!

Having fun with my 2nd cousin Danielle Lail

Grandpa Lail with his dad (my Great Grandpa) and two of his brothers (my Great Uncles)

My 2nd cousin Melissa with Scooter

We were so glad that my Great Aunt Debbie, Great Uncle Mike, and 2nd cousin Danielle came down from Tampa to celebrate with us!

Saying good night to my Great Grandma Lail....Mommy says I need to get some sleep tonight because tomorrow is a big day!

Just waking up on my first Christmas!

Bundle of Joy (and Nate)!

Me & Mommy on Christmas morning

Santa and Santa baby

Opening a Christmas gift from Mommy & Daddy

After opening gifts from Mommy & Daddy, Uncle Matt, Aunt Holly, and Grandpa & Grammy Lail brought over their gifts for me!

My cute little Christmas slippers from Aunt Holly...they say Mommy's Lil' Joy on them!






I love my new rocker that Grandpa & Grammy Lail gave me!

Getting ready to celebrate Christmas with Oma in my pretty Christmas dress!





Relaxing with beautiful Oma on Christmas Day!

Having fun playing with Aunt Susie! Isn't her new haircut so cute!

Sound asleep in Aunt Bekah's arms again....just like at Thanksgiving!

We all relaxed and took little naps after enjoying Oma's famous Christmas meal! They say I get to try a little of it next year!

The day after Christmas we went over to my Great Grandpa & Great Grandma Phelp's house for brunch and to open more gifts that they had for me!

My 2nd cousin Lindsey was there to give me lots of hugs & kisses! Her haircut looks so cute too!





Mommy takes too many pictures! This is the face I make now when I see the camera pointing my way...I have to squint to protect my eyes from all the flashes going off in my face!!! Mommy got two pictures in a row with me making this face and every picture she took after that, I kept making the same face before she even snapped it! :)





What is this little thing that is talking to me?!!!

My first taste of food...December 26, 2008! I made a big mess but the Sweet Potatoes were pretty yummy!

Ending this Chrismas season with relaxing by a fire at Grandpa Lail's house

This has been a great 1st Christmas! Thank you for all of my sweet gifts!

Wish we could have seen all of our family but we couldn't make it up to Tallahassee or Ocala this year...we hope to see the rest of you soon! Lots of love and xoxo to you all!

Counting Our Blessings

Reflecting on 2008

It is so hard to believe that 2008 will be coming to an end in just a few days. As Nate and I have been looking back at this year recently, all we can say is that we are truly thankful for all God has done for us and for all the things He has been teaching us. In a year that could have very well been a hard one for us, we still end this year praising Him for His perfect timing and for the hope and peace He gives us in every situation when we surrender to Him. He is continually teaching both of us to rely on Him in every situation. Proverbs 16:9 is so true.... "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." This year has had many up and downs for us as we have had some financial uncertainties, made another big move, grown closer to our family, met some new friends, reconnected with old friends, grown stronger in our marriage, and become parents when we welcomed our beautiful daughter into this world. We have laughed, we have cried, we have made memories we will never forget. The Lord has grown us in so many ways and we are extremely humbled by His blessings. It is hard to think what this past year or what the future would be like without our faith in Him. Our prayer is that we will all always remember the true meaning of this season and that we will take time throughout every year to reflect on what God is doing and has done in our lives. As this year comes to a close and we get ready to begin a new year, we are reminded that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. It is so nice to not have to worry about what is to come....We may not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds it!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! May the coming year be full of many blessings for you and your family!

We've been Elf-ed!

Thanks Melissa!

Tis the Season....

December has proven to be a busy month already, like it usually is for all of us! Even with the hustle and bustle of this time of year though we are still enjoying every minute with our precious baby girl! Nate and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on December 11th! We had our first official date alone outside of the house since Laila's birth. We put her to bed and Aunt Holly stayed with her while we went out for sushi....it was a great anniversary and a wonderful time to reflect on how much God has blessed us these past 4 years and especially this past year! Here are some miscellaneous pictures we've taken so far this month.

Laila enjoys her first Ladies of the Family Christmas Gathering

with Grammy & her Great Grandma Mary Alice

Three Generations

Laila is in love with Aunt Holly's dog, Scooter

Playing together like buddies!

I had to take a picture of her chunky little legs!

Look at those rolls...so precious!!!

She is trying to crawl but she's still got a ways to go before she gets it! She is definitely scooting and rolling herself around everywhere though!

Trying to get in the Christmas spirit, we drove around one night looking at Christmas lights and listening to Christmas music....this house is amazing...it has over 100, 000 lights!

This was pretty much the look on Laila's face the whole time while grabbing on to Daddy's sweater...she didn't know what to think about all the lights!

Enjoying sushi with all of Nate's favorite girls for Susie's bday! We love you all so much!