Adventures of a Quarter-Lifer: Jillian's First Christmas

You may be wondering how Jillian's first Christmas was - well it was amazzzzzing!! Christmas is always magical, but this year it was a lot more magical and special since we have this little sweet pea to celebrate with! Here's a recap of Jillian's first Christmas:

She really got in the spirit for her weekly milestone picture!

Then she got WAY excited to wear her Santa hat! This "Baby's First Christmas" Santa hat belonged to her cousins, and she wore it proudly many times throughout December! Mom and Dad took no less than 9 million pictures of her in Santa hat....

She kicked off Christmas week by building gingerbread houses with her friends!

Then she played with the little Christmas tree in her room

Then she traveled north to spend Christmas Eve with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Theresa!

Then she watched Mom and Dad play with the modes on their fancy camera - how awesome do the lights look in this mode?!

Then she snuggled with Grandma and Grandpa!

She took a quick break to space out and enjoy the tree lights

Then she opened presents with Auntie Theresa!

She grabbed the paper and pulled! It was so surreal for us to watch her open gifts - after years of watching other people's kids open gifts, it was so cool to help our own baby to unwrap since we actually have a baby to unwrap for!!

Jillian thought her vision was deceiving her, but no, that Santa on the paper really is blurry...!

Jillian loved her new toys, personalized books, and her gorgeous new wardrobe!! Thanks everyone!!!

Grandma and Grandpa full of Christmas spirit :)

Family pic! (Minus 2! Dave and Rachael were anxiously awaiting the birth of their baby - we missed them!!)

Jillian ended the night cozying up to the fire that Grandpa built :) It was a relaxing night with our wonderful family!

Just a few hours later it was Christmas morning!!! Jillian found Pete the Cat and Nana right away, she couldn't wait to start playing with them both!

Then she got into her stocking (which is the same stocking that Mommy and Aunt Jen used when they were babies!)

Then Mom busted out the Santa hat (AGAIN) and took 70000 pictures (AGAIN)....

Then she snooped through the presents...

But had to take a rest (it's hard working looking so cute all the time!)

Then she wished Papa a Merry Christmas!

First Christmas!

She gave a special ornament that she made herself (with a little of Mom's help!)

Then Jillian and Mom opened gifts!

Jillian got her first cell phone! Its pink and lights up - she totally loves it and makes calls often :) Keep an eye out on your phones....its only a matter of time before she texts you....

Then she got a barnyard full of baby animals that make legit sounds!

Seriously the moo sounds like you're standing in the middle of a cow pasture!

Seriously Mom - ANOTHER picture?! Yes Jillian....get used to it!

Jillian's cousins were so happy to see her and help her celebrate her first Christmas!

She loved watching everyone open their gifts!!

Then Jillian's Mom at breakfast (you're allowed to eat cookies for breakfast on Christmas, duh)

Her cousin Sam wanted to hold her - TWICE!! He loves her :)

Then Jillian watched her twin cousins sport their brand new reindeer glasses (best $1 I ever spent!)

Christmas magic

Me and my BFF Addie

Then Jillian wanted to get a pic with her twin cousins in their matching shirts! The shirts say "I'm the twinkle in mom's eye" - you sure are Jillybean :)

(we should have shot a video trying to get this pic....getting two toddlers and a baby looking at a camera at the same time is quite an undertaking....!)