Has it really been over a month?

The last several weeks have been super busy. They have been filled with doctors appointments, holiday get togethers, shopping, and lots of family time. First off, Savannah had an eye appointment in Birmingham on the first of December. This was only the second eye exam she has had since coming home from the hospital. The main reason she has to be checked is to keep an eye out for ROP. Retinopathy of Prematurity. It basically has to do with blood vessel growth and has various stages..worse case causing retina detachment causing blindness. Anyway, Savannah showed the very beginning stages of this in the NICU and so she has to be monitored for a few years. Her first appointment, only one month after being out of the NICU, revealed that it was completely gone. So now we just keep a check on her eye sight. Doc said this time her eye sight was great! He said she didn't need to come back for a year maybe even two. We feel really blessed because eye sight is so often affected in micropreemie babies.

We have had two holiday get togethers in the first two weekends of December. The first was with my brother in law and sister in law and their kids. We had a great time! The SEC championship game was on so they came during half time and Daniel and Tommy finished watching it together. The kids played and had a great time. After we ate the kids opened their first presents of the year. Levi went first. He was so cute. He started to try at first but then got bored so his momma had to help him. He was more interested in the toys that were already out. Then when he figured out that their was a toy in the wrapping paper he was ready. lol Savannah on the other hand was all about opening the present. Just very very slowly and daintily. Half way through, Levi decided to come over and help her. He just thought she wasn't going fast enough. They were so sweet. Then not long before they got ready to go Tommy and Daniel had them standing and facing each other and Savannah leaned over and gave Levi a big ole kiss on the lips. You couldn't help but laugh. The next weekend we had 3 sweet couples come over for Christmas goodies and Dirty Santa. Ty and Leslie Simmons and their two kids, Chris and Tiffany Simmons, and Matt and Katie Griffies all came. A great time was had and there were lots of laughs. I am so thankful that we became friends with so many new people this past year.

Levi, Thomas, and Savannah (I love Levi and Savannah's face in this one!)

Levi opening his gift.
Savannah opening her gift.

Ty, Leslie, Katie, and Tiffany eating some goodies Dirty Santa get together

Nathan and Savannah playing together I was very excited because Daniel was able to get off work on the 20th and not go back until the 28th, then he worked 3 days and was off until yesterday. Savannah and I loved having him home. We spent the week of Christmas just relaxing at home, with the exception of the tuesday we went to B'ham for Savannah's doc appt which I will blog about next, and we just enjoyed our time together. The Friday before Christmas we went to Levi's first birthday party. That was really fun. He was too cute eating his cake. Somewhere in there, I can't remember which day, we went to the Zoo to look at the lights and we rode the train. That was really fun and really cold. One night we drove around with my parents drinking coffee and looking at Christmas lights. I always love doing that. We have always done that since I was a little girl.

Savannah ready to go look at lights at the Zoo

Savannah and Mommy on the Train at the Zoo

Savannah and Daddy on the Train at the Zoo

The fam at Zoo Lights

Christmas Eve was TONS of fun. I cooked all day long and my parents and grandparents came over that afternoon. We at lots of my favorite holiday junk food and watched Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeekquel. My grandparents went home and my parents spent the night. I had so much fun getting Santa's stuff ready this year. Fixing the stockings, getting the big presents out. I know next year will be even better. Savannah was very excited and really didn't want to go to sleep so she ended up sleeping in the bed with us. My grandparents came back to our house on Christmas morning around 9:30am. We ate breakfast that Daniel had cooked and then we opened presents. Savannah had a blast! She loved all of her presents! Trixie thought all of the presents were hers so she had to help Savannah open them all. They were so funny. Savannah played with her presents all day. She did not want to take a nap. I don't think she ever did which made for a long night of trying to get a very cranky baby to go to sleep. Lunch was fabulous as always and we spent the whole day with my parents and grandparents. It was wonderful! That afternoon I got a call from Carol Leah. She has called me every year on Chrismas for the past 15 years and so the tradition continues...even now that we have kiddos...lol It's always fun to see what each other got..although I don't think we even got to talk about that this year...it was all about the kids. :) Here are just a few pictures from Christmas. It was sooooo hard to pick just a couple. There were soo many good ones but there was no way to put them all on here.

Everyone (except me) on Christmas Eve Savannah helping make Cookies for Santa Santa eating some of Santa's cookies Santa Came!! Opening some gifts

All of Savannah's Christmas gifts Playing with some of her new toys Time for some good food
The pretty Ham Daniel cooked

New Years was fantastic too. Same people. Us, my parents, and grandparents....at our house...eating homeade pizza playing board games and watching The Sorcerer's Apprentice. I truly love my family and how close we are. I love that Savannah has them in her life! Well I think that caught the holidays up.