Rewind...

Take yourselves back a few weeks.  It was December and there was this holiday we call Christmas.  Do you remember?!  I know it was a long time ago, but work with me here!  We were in Indiana visiting my family and took a ton of pictures while celebrating.  However, it has taken me two weeks to post any pictures about it.  Not sure what the delay is about.  Maybe it was the task of sorting through all of them.  Maybe it was the intentions that I had to make a video montage of video clips and pictures with music that somehow has not become reality.  Or perhaps it is just pure laziness. 

Regardless, here is the visual tour of our trip! (and hopefully enough pictures to satisfy Nana!)

Olivia was all smiles the day we got there!

Olivia had a complete interest in Drew and loved to watch him play.  They were also on the same nap schedule most days and, thus, spent a lot of time playing together.  We think Jordan was on her own nap schedule so that when she was awake she could be sure to be the center of attention ;) 

We met up with my dear friend Mandy while in town as well.  She, her brother (Uncle Tyler), and her mother drove down from Chicago so they could all meet Olivia.  It was a great time!

More pictures of Drew and Olivia playing together!!  I am not kidding when I said they were best buddies! I don't even have any pictures of Olivia and Jordan playing on my camera!   Look at Drew's smile; doesn't it just melt your heart!  He was quite the poser for the camera and video camera!

 We opened gifts on Christmas Eve day that were from Nana and Papa.  Christmas day was reserved for Santa and our own family gifts.  Being there to watch all of our nieces' and nephews' expressions Christmas morning is a memory I will keep with me forever.  We haven't all been together on Christmas morning like that in well over ten years, I would say.  Knowing how special it was for me, I can only imagine how much it meant to Mom and Dad.


Mom and Dad (aka, Nana & Papa) bought all the grandkids matching pajamas to have on when they awoke Christmas morning!   The order of children....front row L to R: Drew (9mo), Jordan (9mo), Olivia (6mo). back row L to R: Eli (nearly 3), Garrett (8), Kaylynn (10)

Olivia got Sophie the giraffe from Santa Claus and she LOVES her! She also got a couple of books and a new bib!  Thanks, Santa!

This next picture brought us all to tears and really touched our hearts.  Although we missed Brady every single moment through the holidays, this one seemed to be the hardest.  We sat all three babies up to see the toy Santa had brought for Drew & Jordan and the irony of the scenario was not hard to miss.   Our family doesn't seem quite complete without him with us, but we know that we will all see him again someday.

Believe it or not, it was Daddy who bought Olivia this awesome bib!!  Maybe he is coming around to becoming a Boilermaker after all =)

Oh, and in case you didn't already know....opening presents is much more fun when you use your mouth!

Olivia also got to meet lots of special people while we were there....like Uncle Jeff, and Miss Luetta, and Auntie Andrea (who moved to Taipei, Taiwan the very next day and we miss her already :(.   She also spent some time snuggling up with Great Grammy, although she is so heavy that Great Grammy's arms tired out quickly!

Our last day there was Mom's birthday!  I think her favorite gift was that Olivia was still there to snuggle with!  I know Olivia sure loved the hugs and kisses she got that day since there weren't other babies around to compete with! haha!

And, finally, we arrived back home where Andy could assume his favorite spot on the couch without having to bargain it away from someone else, and Olivia could do her best to keep his attention on her rather than that silly book he is trying to read =)  Notice she has Sophie with her again; they have become the BEST of pals!