Caroline's First Christmas

Because why not do a Christmas recap post in the middle of January. This Christmas was obviously, a very special one.  I remember telling Derik at one point last Christmas, just think this time next year we could have a baby with us. At the time it was just something fun to think about. I could have never dreamed that we would indeed be celebrating our precious girl and her first Christmas. Although, we requested no gifts for our TC--tiny child--of course the girl got spoiled rotten. Poor child, didn't get a stitch of clothing for Christmas.--ha so so so so much sarcasm there--Not to mention the after Christmas sales this momma hit up.

We started our Christmas celebrations with a trip to Tanglewood Festival of Lights right outside of Winston on our way to Derik's parents in Hickory. Christmas Eve included A LOT of laying around in our Christmas pj's, making eating too many Christmas cookies, attending Christmas eve service and then enjoying an incredible dinner thanks to my mother in law. This time was also used as a mini photo shoot in our jammies (the star of the show sporting a reindeer footed ensemble) quite the fashionista. Christmas morning we woke up excited to see what Santa had brought and waited on our nephews to get there from Charlotte before the opening chaos began. After the chaos ceased my mother in law prepared yet another wonderful meal for lunch and then we headed to my parents house for the rest of Christmas day. There my cousin hosted our annual Christmas dinner and presents. It's changed a lot since the days of all 30 of us cramming into my grandmother's tiny living room. Now we're 30+ but less our matriarch and her baked steak, we have been since 2007 but we still miss her all the same.