A Merry Christmas!

Great-Grandpa Nickolay and his two youngest grandsons.

My Grandpa Nickolay and just some of his grandkids!

Miles with his Grandma and Grandpa Nickolay.

Getting ready for the Christmas party and looking pretty spiffy!

Boy, what a lucky mommy I am to have such a good looking son.
Thanks Amy for the adorable argyle sweater vest!

Miles lending a protective hand to his cousin Corey as they hang out at the park.

Sylvia, Gloria and Daren wheelin' around Edinborough.

Baby babushka.

Having fun at "fundue" night! (Someone's missing from this picture...)

The stockings are hung from the chimney with care.
Thank you Sharon Huse!

Letters
This is the only time of year where I ask Mike "what did we get in the mail?" and I look forward to the answer. Christmas cards have been rolling in and we love every picture and signed card that reminds us of all of our loved ones. Three cards in particular stand out this year in my mind and all three were for Miles.

The first was a letter to Miles from Santa which truly was delivered from North Pole, Alaska. Santa told Miles that he knows of his birth and that he is already recorded on his good list. My favorite part of the letter is the last paragraph: "When I told Rudolph that I was going to write to you, his nose lit up to a beautiful bright red! Rudolph can't wait to visit your house and catch his first glimpse of you as you sleep peacefully on this, your first Christmas! I wish you a very Merry First Christmas, little one! Always, Santa Claus" Yes, Miles, there really is a Santa Claus.

The second card came from Miles' Great-Great-Aunt Lucille. Lucille just turned 87 and (no exaggeration) has over 100 nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews. Great-Great-Aunt Lucy is always so good about sending a card for birthdays and Christmas and this year Miles received his first Christmas card from her in the mail.

The last letter came to Miles from his honorary Great-Aunt Sharon Huse, a wonderful family friend who I have known since birth. Sharon Huse not only made Miles a lovely stocking to match the ones she gave Mike and I as a wedding gift but she also wrote a beautiful letter to him about love and family. It is such a wonderful letter that I cried while reading it to Miles as he ate his peas and rice cereal one night and I'm tearing up re-reading it to myself now. Thank you Sharon for keeping letter writing alive and for your truly lovely words.

Transitions in the New Year
It is with a heavy heart (and again tears in my eyes) that last week was the last, full-week that Miles will be cared for by his Grandma and Grandpa Nickolay. Since returning to work in early October we have made the trek each morning out our door and down my parent's driveway to drop him off for what we've called day-care but has really been day-love. I joke that Miles is probably better taken care of by his loving grandparents then by Mike and me - which he probably has. Each day he is greeted with hugs and kisses from them and when I call them frequently from work I hear about the games of "stinky feet" he's playing, the books that he's reading, the tickles that made him giggle, and the snuggles he's getting. Miles loves it at their house - whether he's sitting on a warm lap or just hanging out over the back of the over-stuffed chair watching the snow fall outside the big, front windows. Mike and I are very sad that Miles' wonderful, daily visits with his grandparents will come to an end this week and I know if Miles was old enough he would feel sad too. My parents head to Texas for the winter and Miles will be going to a regular day-care starting January 4. Words can't express how thankful we really are to them for taking such good care of Miles and for being wonderful grandparents.

So as not to end on a sad note...
I can't end with the last paragraph because just the thought of the transitions to come makes me cry so I'll end with the run-down of our weekend activities/festivities. Friday, Miles and I went to Edinborough Park in Edina with Rachel and Corey and our cousin Amy and three of her five kids, Gloria, Sylvia and Daren. The park is a one acre indoor park with live trees and plants, waterfalls, cobblestone paths, a huge tree-house/playground and a large multi-purpose area that is perfect for crawlers, toddlers, and runners on the go. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and fun with the kids that day.

Saturday evening Rachel and Graham hosted the annual "fundue" dinner at their house. Every year we get together for a three course fondue meal. This year Miles and Corey were initiated into the fun tradition. Miles slept through the whole evening and Corey was as cute as ever as he was passed around from person to person.

Today we headed to the K.C. Hall in New Prague for the Nickolay side Christmas party. The traditions here include a chicken and ham dinner, Christmas carols led by Aunts Carol and Sue, a holiday Pinata for the kids and a big family BINGO game. It's the Nickolay version of a Norman Rockwell gathering.

In this week leading up to Christmas may everyone be safe and have a wonderful holiday with dear family and friends. Merry Christmas!