The Barry Family: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We had a great, yet germ-filled holiday this year thanks to the upper respiratory virus making its rounds this winter season. Daddy was the most affected and ended up being sick through Christmas Day, but he was able to rest and recuperate at Papa Danny's house and finally felt better. We opened up presents at Papa Danny's house with the Flemings and I perfected saying Amber's name...it sounds very distinguished with my pronunciation - "Ahhmburr". I have also named Auntie Erin, Nuna, and nobody knows why. This one is still a mystery to us all!

Mommy and I attended Papa Danny's annual Chinese Food Christmas Eve dinner (nobody knows how this originated) and we were joined by a fun group including Charles and Catherine West and the Prahsers. What a fun event! Mommy showed everyone how I know how to "cheers" with my sippie cup and I got so excited at one point that I threw my sippie cup and it knocked Mommy's glass of chardonnay over, spraying Jim's nice shirt, Mommy's plate and my diaper bag. Nothing spells good parenting like a diaper bag smelling like Chardonnay, right?

I was much more interested in eating Puffs and a bagel than I was in opening my gifts on Christmas morning, but thankfully Amber was very helpful and I got most of my gifts opened. It did take 2 days to open everything because I got a little overwhelmed with all the stimulation, but I was really spoiled this year. Some of my favorite gifts included the Doo Dah (DUH), a broom set, Doodle pro, puzzles, a ball that lights up when you throw it hard enough (AWESOME), bath toys, matching squeak eggs game and some board games for when I am bigger. I told you I was spoiled!

Mommy and Daddy were able to take advantage of Papa Danny's offer of FREE babysitting twice while we were down at his house so they saw a movie (Up In The Air, which they REALLY recommend) and enjoyed a Finn-less dinner out at a real restaurant one evening. What a treat!