Where does the time go?

I've been contemplating this very thing lately. Almost a year has come and gone since Sadie was born, and at 11 mos., she's cuter than ever. She's finally starting to pull up to things, but she's still pretty content to crawl. I'm not rushing the walking thing, nor am I rushing much of anything with this child. We're happy to keep her a baby as long as possible.



Ella lost her first tooth a few days before Christmas. How is she possibly that old? It was a dramatic experience full of many tears, but eventually (after many failed attempts) I just grabbed the thing and yanked it out. After I pulled it, she informed me that it didn't hurt at all (Well no kidding. It was hanging by a thread). She was headed to Grandma's house for a sleepover that night, and was shocked to find out the tooth fairy visits Grandma's house too.

We had a nice Christmas. It was pretty low-key, due to my foot surgery, and that's pretty much the way I like it. We traveled to Brian's parents' house on Christmas Eve, but we really didn't do too much else. It has been really nice to be at home and to be with each other (although it's definitely about time to get back to school :0).

(Here are a few of the Smith crazies with a couple cousins. We go to Brian's parents, and we're not quite sure what goes on most of the time, but I think Ella's face says it all!)

The kids all got the presents they wanted and also some unexpected surprises. Andrew LOVES his Harry Potter boxed set (the books, of course) and has been reading like a crazy person. Noah really likes his NBA 2k11 Wii game (surprise, surprise). Ella loves her new Mazin' Hamster and her dollhouse. Ava loves the dollhouse as well, and her Polly Pockets are a definite hit! Sadie....well, she got lots of clothing. I don't know what to get an 11 month old. She has everything she could possibly need and toys galore. So, for Mom's indulgence, she got cute outfits for Christmas. Brian and Natalie have been enjoying the new couch and new camcorder. We FINALLY splurged for an up-to-date camcorder, which was much needed.

(Christmas Eve jammies)

(Christmas night jammies)

My foot is doing well. I decided not to hard cast it this time, which makes driving much easier, but also means I need to be super careful about kids stepping on it or kicking it. With Ava around, that's a huge challenge.

Anyway, we've had an enjoyable holiday. I just can't believe how fast it has all come to an end. I'm looking forward to 2011 and the new adventures that will most definitely come our way!