Smile for Andrea

Well folks, we did it. We found the most outstanding babysitter in the history of the world. Her name is Andrea, she's from Hungary, and we're SO glad she found her way to Memphis. We want to thank her for taking care of Meredith this month...and for the adorable outfit she bought for Meredith for Christmas. So the "smile for Andrea" is above and the pic in the outfit is below...we weren't quite able to coordinate both occurences into one picture.

THANK YOU ANDREA!

Highwaters

So, if you want some proof that the girl is growing, here ya go.

Unfortunately, her shoulders are still very narrow. Suffice it to say, we're between sizes.

Relax

If you'll permit us to brag about our daughter for a moment (and we think that most of you will), we'd like to say that she's an incredible girl. She's been to about 97 Christmas parties, she's been Christmas shopping, she's hosted a fourteen year old's birthday party (and you KNOW that every kid had to hold her) and she's come through it all like a champ. Meredith goes with the party-flow and we're grateful to her for putting up with our shenanigans.

Perhaps the secret to Meredith's staying power throughout this holiday season has been her ability to relax when and where she is able. Today, for instance, mom set her down for about 30 seconds and went to answer the phone. When mom returned, mom saw the above picture of complete and total relaxation. That's right folks: 0 to unconscious in 30 seconds. Jealous?

Meredith's Army

Chris has re-christened his soccer team. He feels strongly that they should now be called Meredith's Army. The team hasn't consented to the name-change, but they did consent to having their picture taken with the angel. And below is the latest installment in the Baby's First Christmas series. Notice the smocked Christmas dress. Okay, maybe you can't see it -- but you need to know it's there!

Me and the Mouse

So Meredith has this adorable little mouse (thanks to the Scammahorns!) and it's really her first toy! She grips it tightly in her little fist, flings it about, chews on it and mashes it into her face. Trust us, it's cute. Well heck, here's proof!

Just Watchin' Some Soccer with My Dad

Okay, generally speaking, we won't be encouraging a whole lot of t.v. watching in Meredith's life. But I've noticed that she really likes to watch soccer. I'm not saying she's developed an appreciation for the finer points...it probably has a lot more to do with the pretty contrast between the bright green field and the white lines.

Here's a smile-picture, too. It's fuzzy, but sweet.

Almost Christmas Angel

She's getting so big! Her Tia Sarah wants her to still be "wee" when she meets her, but we're not sure that's going to be possible. Tiny or not so tiny, she's still the fairest baby in the land. Here's our first Christmas pic (no doubt the first of zillions).

Aunts and Uncles

Chris and I both agree that our Meredith is just as blessed in the Aunt and Uncle department as we have been. Her Aunt Beth and Uncle Matt (sorry mom-Kedra, but Uncle Matt does have more of a ring to it than Uncle Matthew) love her a lot and take really good care of her (and so did Aunt Kayle when she was here!). Because they love her so much, they don't go running for help when the little dear gets a bit fussy. They don't even go running for help when she gets a lot fussy. Aunt Beth watched Meredith for two days last week when mom went back to work. It was such a blessing to know that she was with someone who loved her so much. And Uncle Matt was in charge today while we watched a soccer game. He kept her little ears covered when the fans got vocal and even lulled her to sleep, eventually. We're so happy to have loved ones here to help us with Meredith. Life is good. And just think...she hasn't even met Uncle Dan yet!