Happy Chinese New Year

We have several sets of friends that live in various places around China and they have each marveled on how how extensive the fireworks are during the New Year festivities. This is on the Hong Kong harbor and I love how bright and colorful the sky is.
It is the year of the Ox and we are hoping that this Lunar year brings us much closer to our little girl than the past years have.

Lydia says what is on her mind!

	Lydia is quite a chatterbox when you put her on her changing table. I don't know what it is about that one spot, but she just starts chirping it up. She is so cute as she starting to find her voice and laugh a little. Click on the picture to watch her talk!
	Click picture to play video

My newest niece

She's here. My LITTLE brother is a daddy!
Lauren Elisabeth was born Jan 13 and is a cutie! Here she is with a proud aunt.

Catching Up

In order to wrap up the year's events without an overblown report, here's some highlights in brief...

Erik and big kids went to FL to meet new cousin Krisanna.
Mommy and Lydia stayed home to meet grandma and papa
Kids had a blast swimming outside in December
Erik and big kids spent a day in Epcot!
Everyone together for Christmas Eve with extended family
Christmas morning was celebrated acknowledging Jesus' birthday and opening gifts
Favorite gifts = Samantha doll and remote control car
Hikes on days it did not rain (and one when it did by surprise)
Movies with grandma and papa
Watching Lydia grow like a weed and start cooing a lot
New Year's Eve date with my brother and his very pregnant but still elegant wife
LOTS of daddy time as he has been off work for 2 1/2 weeks (tomorrow will be a hard one)
Lydia is sleeping 8-9 hours a night now!!

Since we don't have the privilege of having a white Christmas, these special effects for the pictures will have to do.