...and a Happy New Year to All!

Well, it's been an amazing first almost-year with our little Sophie, so many adventures, and such a wonderful holiday season. We are so grateful for our beautiful little baby girl, and are so excited for the year to come! Happy New Year, everyone!

Houston, we have Teeth!

These first two chompers broke through the day we left Colorado, but now they are truly photo-worthy!

Another visit to Nora

Cuteness

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The Nutcracker

Grandma Kathy has a wonderful holiday tradition of taking the girls to the Nutcracker every year. We had a great time! Here we are at lunch before hand also with Aunt Amanda, partying down, as usual. Sophie watched about half of the first act, then nursed and napped until intermission. During the Sugar Plum Fairies at the top of the second act, you know, the sweet, quiet flute melody that is absolutely the heart of the Nutcracker? The part everyone loves so much? Well, SOMEBODY decided to begin a running commentary during that scene, so Sophie and I split to the "cry room" up stairs. No crying involved, but we did watch and commentate through a soundproof window. Ah, modern miracles.

Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Grandma Kathy!

Sophie's First Christmas

The day began simply at home with cinnamon rolls, coffee, and of course the First Child, Jack, the Christmas Cat.

Sophie wore the Santa hat, and dug into her stocking full of toys she already had but forgot she had them...

Yummy book!

Um, can I help you?

A very special dress bought in Paris by Gigi!

We had a beautiful White Christmas, at least up in our neighborhood! It was brief, but very nice to have a bit of snow on such a special day!


On to Grandma and Grandpa Culver's house on Mercer Island for more fun and presents, we got a fabulous coat from Aunt Thu and Uncle Brian.

Hanging out with Grandpa Bruce in the kitchen.

Eventuallly, we really got the hang of this tearing into packages thing!

Whoa, there's more??? We had a great day, and a wonderful Christmas Dinner! Merry Christmas!

Welcome, Future Best Friend of America!

Today we got to meet Gillian and Basil's beautiful baby girl, Nora Somerville Jorgensen, born on December 22nd. Welcome to the world, little sweetheart, and yes, your mother and I will be forcing you to play together for years to come.

Babies in towels are always cute

Case in point.

Holiday Cocktail Party

Our good friends, Corey Quigley and Jon Harmon had another one of their fabulous Holiday Parties this year, Sophie was in attendance last year, in the belly, so this was her first one out where she could see and everything. Here she is meeting Henry, the dog.

...and getting kissed by Henry the dog!

Escape!

First Official Christmas Gift

We received a package today from Gigi marked "Open Me Now!" So Sophie is presented with, well, her first present:

Okay, I think I know what needs to happen here...

Ooh, stripes! I love stripes!

Ta Da! Okay, what now?

Of course, bows on face, yay! Thank you, Gigi!

Future Best Friend of America Baby Shower!

Today we attended the Baby Shower for dear friends Gillian Jorgensen and Basil Harris. I thought I would be much better at taking pictures, but this is really the one great shot, Sophie and Dad with David Rowley and Finn!

Found a Tree!

Finally, HOME!

Upon arrival Home Sweet Home in Seattle, Sophie had a package awaiting her; this lovely Pink Puffy from the Norris'. We were so excited we had to try it on her immediately! Clearly, Sophie was so excited she passed out. Or maybe it's the jet lag. Difficult to say. Anyway, it sure is good to be home!

Return to Colorado

Back in Colorado, we had a couple days to rest and repack before coming home to Seattle. Sophie hung out.

Versailles

Versailles, at the risk of sounding like a tourist pamphlet, is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The excesses of the builidings and interiors are somehow balanced by the sheer vastness and tranquility of the gardens, the two worlds combining to create a most lovely place to pass a day. Here are some photos of ours.
The Apollo Fountain, quiet for the winter, yet an opportunity to see the sculpture unobscured by the water gushing from it in high season.

Nanny Gigi wheeling a sleepy Sophie among the gardens.

Lunch in the gardens at a restaurant that was once the stables for Marie Antoinette.

Brian and Sophie in the Hall of Mirrors.

After touring the palace, one can go outside and, I kid you not, RENT A GOLFCART to toodle around the gardens in! When Brian and I were here last, I thought it was a joke, but no. You can really rent a "skippy" as Brian refers to them, and good thing, as those gardens are big, and it allowed us to see much more of it than if we had just been on foot. Here is Gigi and Grandpa Fred with - is that a big marshmallow? Oh, no, that's my daughter! In their skippy outside the Petit Trianon.

Of course the race is on at 31/2 miles an hour - catch up, ol' timers!

H & B self portrait a la skippy.

Sunset shot at the Grand Canal. This was our last day in (and near) Paris, what a calming way to round out the most wonderful of vacances, what a beautiful day.

Au revior, Paris, et merci.

Oh, Champs Elysees!

There is this great old-timey song that Brian sings about the Champs Elysees;
Oh, Champs Elysees, oh, Champs Elysees,
Il a midi, il a minuit, il a pluie, il a nuit,
Il y a tout ce'que vous voulez au Champs Elysees,
BOP!
Et voila, la famille sous L'Arc de Triomphe!

Sophie et maman a Cartier, oh la la!

We found a great pizza place (the pizza is amazing in Paris) on the Avenue, which also happened to have quite amazing sundaes!

Gigi's Birthday in Montmartre

Today we celebrated Gigi's 65th birthday in the beautiful neighborhood of Montmartre.  Also, I just discovered that I can add text through this fancy "compose" tab, and for some reason everything is underlined.  Not sure why, maybe I'll figure that out eventually.  Anyway.  Here are Sophie's grandparetns making out in front of the Moulin Rouge.  Typical.
After a stroll through the market streets, (mysteriously, the underlining is gone.  Hm.) we rode the funiculaire to the top of the Butte and toured through the Sacre Coeur, then ambled to the Place du Tertre, a wonderful tiny square where all sorts of artists camp out with restaurants all around the sides where one can sit, literally for hours sipping appertifs and munching cheese, watching the artists and tourists and the sun set.
Soon it was time for a nap walk in the Moby Wrap for Miss Sophie, but dad still got his whiskey!
The Sacre Coeur is stunning at any hour, but all lit up like this it is simply heavenly.
After our cocktail hour, we walked to Brian's and my favorite restaurant in all of Paris, the Moulin de la Galette.  It is housed beneath one of the two remaining original windmills on the hill, dating back nearly 600 years.  The gardens that were once behind the windmill was a dance hall, made famous by several impressionist painters who lived in Montmartre, including Renoir and Monet.  It is now a small and excellent restaurant where, each of the four times now that we have been there, we have had amazing food, and felt welcomed like family.
Gigi and Sophie discuss entrees and plats...
After an amazing dinner, the staff surprised us with a birthday plate of petit fours, decorated with "Joyeux Anniversaire", Happy Birthday!