Katelyn's First Christmas

Katelyn is 8 months old today!! (Dec.11)

Dad says goodbye to Katelyn and I at the Calgary airport as we get ready to depart for Grandpa and Grandma Gerei's for Christmas. Bruce would join us a week later after he finished his classes for the week at Olds College. (Dec.14)
Katelyn hanging out at the departure gate while we wait and wait and wait... flights were delayed all across the country due to bad weather. We finally boarded our plane for Vancouver 2.5 hours late which resulted in us missing our connecting flight to Smithers..... so
we stayed the night with Marika at her hotel which just happens to be right in the Vancouver Airport... very convenient!!! Thanks Auntie Marika for putting us up in luxury :-)
Katelyn on the airplane ride from Vancouver to Smithers. Thankfully, we were able to get an empty seat beside us despite there being a nearly full plane. (Dec.15)
We finally arrive at Grandma and Grandpa Gerei's in Houston (with no luggage...) and Katelyn goes straight for the toys!! (The luggage arrived in Smithers later that night and we drove back the next day to retrieve it.)
Katelyn's first sleigh ride... not sure she saw much under all those bundles... but it was -20 degrees or colder that day I walked over to Saretsky's.
Katelyn has a play date at Joyce and Lawrence Saretsky's while they are babysitting two Kenyan boys, Emmanuel and Abner, now living in Houston. Abner was born just a couple of weeks after Katelyn.

Katelyn cheers on the Vancouver Canucks with Grandpa G.

Grandma G and Katelyn all ready to go to the Seniors luncheon.

Just cute!

Happy Birthday Auntie Marika!! (Dec.20... one day late)

Liza gives Bruce a "mini" piano lesson.

Katelyn is having fun with mom and her sisters' old toys.

Grandma G reads Katelyn a bedtime story.

Dad and Katelyn enjoy some play time together.

Grandpa G and Katelyn are all snazzied up for Katelyns' first Christmas party! (Dec.23)

The aunties take a turn in front of the camera with the cutie-pie!

Grandma G takes Katelyn on a walk about in her pretty dress.

Lynn watches her daughter, Madison, decorating her gingerbread with flare.
The gang working away at decorating their gingerbread men... even some of us grown-ups love this activity. Thank-you Marika for making it a tradition at our house now:-)

Dad and Katelyn at the Houston Arena. Katelyn's first public skate! (Dec.24)

"The girls" at the rink. Mom spent many, many hours skating at this rink as a child/teenager... memories!!!

Christmas Eve

Katelyn's first stocking ... Santa sure did spoil her!!!

Our little Christmas elf.

Katelyn is exhausted after opening her gifts so she enjoys a nice nap with Auntie Marika.

Katelyn has joined the animal train!

Auntie Liza and Katelyn enjoy some play time together.

Mom and Katelyn share a Christmas story together.

Below: We enjoyed a couple of good swims at the Houston Public Pool which I must say is much nicer than most of the facilities in Calgary!

Marika, Doreen, Donoven and Erin.

Auntie Marika, Mom and Katelyn.

Tereza, Bruce, Marika and Katelyn after an evening walk. (Dec. 26)

Katelyn fell asleep as Grandpa G and mom went for a walk on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

Katelyn asleep in her crib at Grandma and Grandpa G's. She was very comical this evening sleeping with her legs in the air... each time she would relax so that her legs began to drop, she would immediately bring them back up in the air... all while she slept! (Note on crib: this is the same crib that my sisters and I all slept in when we were babies!)

Grandma and Grandpa Gerei having one last cuddle with Katelyn at the Smithers Airport as we wait for our flight to depart (incoming flight was delayed.. as per usual this Christmas!) (Dec.29)