Our Visits to Tifton & Philly

For those of you that don't know, Page left Karis and I for a month to do some training for the National Guard. Karis and I thought it would be a great time to visit with family and friends.

We started our tour in Tifton where we spent a week with Nanna, PopPop, Aunt Rebekah, and Anyston. We had a great time.


We took the girls to the park where they were able to swing side by side. Karis had never been in the swing before, but she had a great time.






It is now one of her favorite places to play.








The girls would take baths together and climb into Nana's chair to read books. They also liked to love on each other. They are sweet friends.






PopPop took them out on the porch one day that it was raining and rode them around in the wagon. It wore them both out and they were ready to come in and take naps. It was great for the Mommies.





We left Tifton and came home for a few days to rest before our trip to Philly. Mom was a little nervous about flying solo with munchkin, but she needn't have been. Karis did great on the flights. Other passengers were commenting that they wished all baby's traveled as well as she did. I agreed that I have been very blessed with an easy going baby.

We landed in Philly to snow all over the place. As our plane decended on the run way we came out of the clouds just as we touched down. Karis was turned towards the window and when we went below the clouds she could see the huge snow flakes outside. She started bouncing up and down and clapping her hands. She was excited until she was put in what she had to wear to go out into the snow.

She never looked too thrilled about the snow suit we put her in. Even when the temperatures dropped to about 10 degrees, she never complained. Her little eyes would stream tears from the wind, but she was a little trooper the entire time.


It was during our trip to Philly that she mastered....





pulling up. She scared Mom a little with the pulling up. We had an agreement that she was not to do any major feats until Dad came home at the beginning of February. That did not happen. She had two teeth come in, started pulling up, and mastered the crawling on all fours. She now is able to get around very well and very fast!!






We spent time with our friends Ginger and Adam. Karis become good friends with their dog, Sam. I am not sure Sam was excited about the friendship. Karis enjoyed chasing Sam around. Sam did not enjoy that part so much.




We had a great trip and Page did make it back safely from his month long journey to ARMY Camp. We have 2 more months to go during the summer. I am already taking applications for places to visit and people to come visit us.

Cousin Abigail

Not too long after Christmas, Chris and Katie welcomed Baby Abigail into the world. She is a very welcomed addition to our family. Karis was not too sure what to think about her though. Now she wasn't the center of attention. Or wasn't she?




Not too much changed for Karis at the hospital . . .

People still read to her












and she played with Uncle Chris' GA Bulldog hat.











She also waved bye-bye to Aunt Katie for the first time on the 1st of January. (Don't have a picture of that.....sorry).

However, she did begin to warm up to her new baby cousin.....well, sort of!

They both look a little out of it! A long day at the hospital is enough to wipe any baby out.

Christmas

I realize that it is several months past Christmas, but I thought I would start there and catch you all up on Karis' life.

We had a really great Christmas. We did not travel anywhere. My family came to New Orleans 2 weeks before Christmas to celebrate the graduation of Chris (my brother) and Katie (my sister-in-love). We celebrated Christmas with them during that time.

On Christmas Eve we dressed Karis up in her Christmas dress and went to the Christmas Eve service at First Baptist New Orleans where Chris and Katie attended. People commented that she looked like a little angel because the dress was so puffy and she was so cute.

Christmas day we opened presents before she went down for her morning nap and I got ready for Chris and Katie to come over for lunch. Karis received three gifts for Christmas. We have decided to do the "gold, frankinsense, and myrrh" gifts. So the gold gift (one that she wants) was bath toys, blocks, and books. The frankinsense (sp?) gift (one that she needs) was some cubical shelving on which to put her books and toys. The myrrh gift (one that she can share) was a movie (Dumbo). She also had a stocking with more books and a t-shirt which says "Don't tell my Mommy and Daddy, but they don't look a thing like me."

Katie and Chris came over for the afternoon and grilled out steaks. We know, it was not the most traditional Christmas meal, but they sure were good and easy. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing on Page's Wii (his Christmas present). I am not sure who was more excited this Christmas, Page or Karis.

Karis enjoyed her Christmas presents, but I think she enjoyed the boxes, bags, and wrapping even more.