My First Christmas (dictated by Jack)

This year I spent Christmas with my Mema, Papa, Uncle BJ and cousin Marleigh. I flew on an airplane again and was a VERY good boy! Upon arrival in Peoria, I met my Uncle BJ for the first time. Over the course of my 2 weeks in Peoria, I would engage in multiple staring contests with him and win every time. Don't ask me why, but I loved staring at him across the table. For Christmas, Uncle BJ gave me 'Meatwad' (a stuffed animal that looks like a piece of meat...from Aquateen Hungerforce).

Papa and I spent a lot of time walking around the house and feeling the branches of the Christmas tree. I sure got a kick out of him...he made me laugh over and over again with his funny faces. I loved sitting in his lap at dinner time and feeling his scratchy face. I watched him cut a branch off the power line in our back yard that fell because of the ice storm. It was so cool. Good thing the power was out! Papa also wanted to see if I looked like him when he was a baby (see hand painted picture below of Papa when he was a baby). I think there is some resemblance.

That reminds me...I spent my first night in a hotel! The power at the house was out when it was below zero so we got to stay somewhere else!

Mema was my ally and did not want me to cry. Thank you Mema! She picked out many special gifts for me for Christmas including a pair of cowboy boots, a personalized growth chart with the planets on it and "The TALL Book of Christmas" (My mom read the original TALL Book with Papa growing up). I also received a gift from my Great Grandma Brandon...a sock monkey she had made a long time ago before she passed away. Mema kept us busy decorating Christmas cookies. My mom seems to be a nutso about gingerbread men and Santa cookies. I kept hearing her scold people for freezing the cookies or even eating them. Mema must be some great cook!

Marleigh is all grown up. Last year for her birthday and Christmas she got doll clothes, and this year she got an iPod for her birthday and a cell phone for Christmas. How time flies! We had loads of fun playing together. I spit up on her a lot and she was totally grossed out! LOL! She got a Three Milk Cake as her birthday cake...now that's what I'm talkin' about! Must have been made of whole milk, breast milk and 2%.

I experienced what it must be like for Santa in the North Pole...freezing cold and snowing and freezing rain all the time! I didn't mind the cold too much, but I despised my snow suit.

Mom took me to see her friends from high school. That was so fun! We went to Panera and I got to hear lots of good girl gossip.

The best part of my trip was the sleeping arrangement that I arranged. I decided that I didn't want to be put down in my pack and play so by the end of the trip I was sleeping in the bed with my dad. It was great. I slept wonderfully! I am sure he did too. (sidenote from Mom-We couldn't let Jack cry because the rest of the family would have suffered, therefore, Jack was picked up every time and learned to get his way very quickly.)

Another highlight was the plane trip home. I got bumped up to first class for one of my connections because our plane was delayed (by 2 days). There's a lot more room for dad to walk me around in first class. I think I will fly this way every time.

This was my best Christmas yet (last year I was the size of a peanut)! I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and have a happy 2009 full of great nights of sleep!

Love Jack