Happy New Year!

Hey peeps! Did everyone have a great holiday season? We had a wonderful time with Sam. We know he's not old enough to get it yet, but we will never forget it. I was off on Christmas Eve for the first time in years, so I was finally able to make it to our friend Sandi's Christmas Eve party. She, along with other party goers were anxious to take Sam off my hands. He got all the snuggles he could handle. After the party, I arrived home to find lights twinkling, a roaring fire and the delicious smell of prime rib wafting throughout the house. Steve had been slaving away over the stove for hours. He also made a red velvet cake. Yummers. I got Sam dressed in his Christmas Eve jammies and the festivities began. It was a bit magical to be celebrating with our little miracle. The miracle conked out early, so Mom and Dad got to have grown up time to enjoy the fruits of Steve's labor.

Everyone wanted to sleep late the next day. Once we got going, Sam got a wardrobe change into his Christmas Day jammies (reindeer butt!). Steve and I put on our matching red plaid footies and it was all presents, Christmas music and cuteness! Despite his young age, Sam proved to be quite adept at the ripping of wrapping paper. Gave him a little corner to start on and he just went to town. So very talented!

We had visits from Auntie Dayna and Uncle Paul then preparations for Christmas dinner began. Mommy was to contribute butternut squash risotto with carmelized onions and mushrooms, but it turned out to just be onions and mushrooms when I torched the squash while skyping with Grandma. Oh well. It was still delicious. However, not as delicious as Uncle Frank's pan roasted chicken with bacon and rosemary. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I may have to request it for my birthday dinner.

After working back-to-back doubles on the 30th and 31st and having a sick babysitter, we had a mellow New Year's Eve at home. I got home around 10ish and managed to stay up to ring in the new year with a little bubbly. All in all, it was a great holiday season. It's kinda sad when it's over and you're back to the grind.

This week, we were surprised and delighted to learn our boy was on the cover of the Palo Alto Weekly's year end wrap up issue:

From pa weekly

What an honor to be mentioned in the same breath as a local icon like Steve Jobs! Man, our little guy has come so far. I told Steve the other day that the events of 2011 are finally starting to feel like sort of a distant memory. The pain of the early days of Sam's life aren't quite as acute. I've discovered certain things still trigger deeply painful reactions in me, so I just try to avoid those things. Over all though, it's all good. I plan to spend 2012 not being scared to death and just want to revel in every amazing little new thing Sam does. And he's doing alot! He's cut 2 teeth and has managed to still maintain his cheerful disposition. He's cooing up a storm and making some other weird noises that are just plain funny. Seriously, what is this??!

Sam also started off the new year by having his first solid food, as evidenced above. It was HILARIOUS! Breakfast has never been more entertaining. Our first go at it was with rice cereal, which tastes like paste. After having a few spoonfuls, Sam decided to sneeze and make it go all over the place. We moved on to sweet potatoes and peas. Peas seem to be the favorite thus far. It's so funny how these little things are just endlessly fascinating. And it's just gonna get better.

We hope this new year finds you and yours happy, healthy and ready to embrace all that the year has to offer. So, onward and upward. 2012, BRING IT! We can't wait to see what's in store!