A New Year's Eve Day Christmas with Dad and Abbie...

Me and Dad ('dressed up') for the photo shoot

I am very sad to be writing my last blog post on our holiday and staycation, but here it goes!

I asked Dad to arrive at my house on New Year's Eve day wearing a 'nice shirt' so that we could take some photos of the two of us together.  He started off the day with a big smile by arriving wearing a dressier shirt and a goofy tie over top of his 'regular' shirt.  For those of you who know my dad, well, this is 'classic Dad'. He is not known for his, shall I say, stylish or neat attire? 

Abbie, Dad and me. :)

On Christmas day, I spent the time meeting Reese and watching everyone else open their gifts. It is just too much overstimulation for me to try to watch others open their gifts, interact with multiple people, try to meet Reese, and open my own gifts. So we 'spread out the holiday' and Dad and Abbie came over New Year's Eve day.  


I was really able to enjoy Christmas this year and had a great afternoon with Dad and Abbie.

Asher goes right for the gifts!

As soon as I opened this box filled with a bunch of gifts, Asher dove (literally) into the box, tearing up the tissue paper and helping to open my gifts. He always thinks boxes are for him! (I have no one to blame but myself for this. Okay, and maybe the mailman for putting a bone in between the pieces of mail each day and my friend Sarah for sending him multiple boxes of treats in the mail.)

Looking forward to my lunch with Dad at the new Japanese restaurant in town.

Both Dad and Abbie did an awesome job this year with gifts. I will enjoy the fun stuff (like Netflix and a haircut), cute slippers, etc. and the practical stuff (Smartwool socks, post-it notes, toothbrush heads, etc.). Abbie is definitely the holiday shopper and wrapper. Dad did really well this year though, picking out a pink watch and getting me a gift certificate for lunch together at a new Japanese restaurant in town. he even put the menu in with the gift certificate. My dad is ever the optimist that I will feel well enough to go on these outings, and I do appreciate that he is able to keep that outlook. He also pulled a Classic Dad by wrapping one post-it note tablet in a large box. So, he hasn't turned a new leaf completely.

Aaawww, such a sweet father-daughter photo!

Here's one more photo of me and Dad, this time without his 'costume'.  

Thanks to D and A for a really wonderful and joyful Christmas celebration this year! Opening gifts on New Year's Eve day with D and A and then having lobster that night with Mom made for really special end to a difficult 2010.

Blessings,

Emily