2012 Holidays

Back in Munich after celebrating Christmas 2012 at Oma and Opa's oasis in Heidelberg.  We ate like royalty and were spoiled like brats.  Seeing my parents show their love for my kids is one of my favorite things ever.  The way Elise leans away from my chest as I hold her and softly puts her arms around Oma while smiling so sweetly when it's time to say good night.....Paul walking towards Opa's voice whenever he hears it and slightly cocking his head and looking at him at an angle and a sly smile....Paul saying "mmmmmma" which I think is him trying to say Oma.....Opa presenting Lily's new bike from Christkind with such enthusiasm and energy (see video in attached link) that it makes me just stop and remember how much I love my Dad.....Oma thinking about my kids so much that it comes through in all the perfect gifts she finds for them, the new food she wants to make just to see if they would like it makes me stop and remember how lucky I was when I was a kid and not realizing enough at the time how good I had it.  

I'm more emotional than usual these days.  I'm super excited for my newly engaged sister that I get giddy at times thinking about how happy she is.  I'm so proud of how far we've come as a family, but bummed that "easy" things like getting out of the house as a family, turning off kids mode and turning on relationship mode with Nate, and not letting the small challenges of the day drain me so much....can be so hard. I'm nervous about Elise's first surgery in 2013.  I'm excited and scared of being mom to 1 year old twins and a very independent minded 3 year old.  My breastfeeding career is now over and it's bitter sweet..... a bit more on the sweeter side.

Here are pics from our festive December.  Prost.

December 2012