Molly's First Christmas

We traveled to Grandview for Molly's first Christmas. She got to spend lots of time with the McGill's/Rowe's, play with cousins, open way too many presents and see a VERY white Christmas. Here are some pictures.

Christmas Jammies

Just taking in all the activity and Grandma and Grandpa Rowe's Christmas Eve Extravaganza

Look at my cute Christmas outfit!

I'm pretty good at the present opening business, although I prefer chewing on the paper as opposed to playing with the present!

Daddy used Uncle Denny's Bears' coat as a changing pad. Go Packers!

Looking at the cool toys Santa put in my stocking.

Ooh, I needed a suitcase for all of my travels. Thanks Grandma!

Grandpa Mac and I playing with one of my presents.

Grandma and Grandpa Great

Grandma Nancy reading me one of my new books.

Stephanie let Harvey borrow her new Snuggie and set him up with a pillow by the fireplace. He was loving it and spent lots of time there.

Cousins Lauren and Stephanie. Molly loves watching the big girls and can't wait until she is big enough to chase after them.

In case there was any doubt...

Here is further proof that Molly truly is my child.

Here is the face she was making most of the time we were in the 90 degree heat in Jamaica:

And here is the face she was making today in the 8 degree Iowa cold:

I'd much prefer the cold to the heat. It appears the apple didn't fall far from the tree!

Christmas card photo shoot

Due to budget cuts around here, a professionally taken picture for Chirstmas cards just wasn't happening. So, this morning I tried to do it myself. I think the idea was good, wrap a naked baby in Christmas lights, but due to my lack of photography skills the pictures didn't turn out that great. Plus a certain little girl kept trying to chew on the lights which was freaking Daddy out so we had to move fast. Anyway, we did end up getting a cute picture for cards, but here are a few of the shots that didn't make the cut.

1st school pictures

Molly's fantastic daycare does school pictures every fall and of course once we saw them we were suckered into buying them. So here you go. I think she's pretty stinkin' cute!

In other news if you've been watching any national media you probably know that Des Moines has had quite the snow storm in the past few days. Yesterday the whole family was home, buth Mike and my offices were closed as well as Molly's daycare. Today schools are closed so Molly and I are having another snowday. I'll post pictures. It's really pretty (as long as you are inside).

Ho, Ho, Ho!

"Mom, are you sure this is the real Santa? I'll just give his beard a little tug to make sure."

Jamaica

Last week we traveled to Negril, Jamaica for Mike's cousin Christopher's wedding. It was a VERY long trip and we learned that Molly isn't a big fan of airplanes, but is was a beautiful wedding and lots of fun to spend so much time with family. Molly didn't so much like the 90 degree weather, but she loved the pool and the ocean. She also loved getting to meet lots of her McGill relatives for the first time. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Hanging out in the hotel bar with Aunt Jessica and Aunt Melissa.

Cousin Lauren was the cutest flower girl!

Lauren, Aunt Jessica, Grandma, Molly, Grandpa and Aunt Melissa

You can't tell from the picture but this is Molly with Aunt Laurie and Aunt Shelby at the swim-up bar in the pool.

"Ooooh, I like the air conditioned hotel room. Let's just stay in here!"

Toes in the pool.

Notice a resemblance in the pasty skin tones?

Family picture

Christopher, the Infamous Uncle Kenny and Mike

"I love my Grandpa Mac!"

Molly finds her voice

Molly has really discovered her voice over the past few weeks and likes to yell. She also really loves her excer-saucer. This morning she sat in there for over an hour talking and playing and I was able to clean the kitchen. It makes a great babysitter!