MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We wanted to wish everyone a very, very Merry Christmas this year. We leave for Jason's parents' house for a few days and wanted to post this before we go.

We're beyond excited to be celebrating Amelia's first Christmas. She's such a happy girl (except at nap time) and lives every day in the spirit of the season - kind, generous, giving. It's like she wakes up every morning thinking "Joy to the world!"

We love her so much. Merry Christmas!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Disclaimer: The actual Christmas card picture is not posted here so it will be a surprise when y'all get it in the mail!

The other day, we bundled up Amelia in her Christmas tights and dress (yes it was cold enough for tights here in Orlando!) and headed out to take her first Christmas photo. We wanted to do something outside with a Christmas-y feel. So her Auntie Tracy, who has taken so many of the wonderful photos on this blog, suggested the Prime Outlets on International Drive. She had seen the decorations, which were funky and conveyed the holiday spirit.

Some styling notes: I bought Amelia her cute dress with gingerbread men on the hem, her Auntie Stacey gave her the adorable Christmas tights (which were a challenge to get on a squirmy little one) and her Grandma Maria sent her the soft, cuddly Santa blanket with her name one it. I don't know if you can see the blanket in the photos, but we brought it along as an accessory.

As you can tell, Amelia wasn't so sure about checking out the life-sized decorations up close. She looked so serious examining them, much like she did when she sat on Santa's lap for a few minutes.

But all in all, she was a good sport about the photo shoot, as she is about almost every new experience. She's so much fun now with her silly sense of humor and makes us laugh every day! She smiled wide a couple of times and we eventually got the perfect shot. But you'll have to wait for your card to see that.

How's This Smile?

Amelia had her nine-month appointment today, complete with three shots, a finger prick blood test for anemia and new weight and height measurements. The blood test didn't bother her, but she did NOT like her shots. She's a healthy 22 pounds (90th percentile) and 28 inches long (95 percentile.) Her iron levels were very good and the doctor says she is in excellent health. She's growing taller faster than she is gaining weight!

Amelia also got the go-ahead to start eating chicken, yogurt and cheese. Yummy! A this rate, she might be ready for turkey, stuffing and pecan pie by Thanksgiving.

I'm Nine Months Old!

We celebrated Amelia's nine-month birthday (a few days early) with a lunch out with my two uncles, an aunt and cousin Jason, who took these adorable close-ups! I don't have Amelia's new numbers yet because she doesn't go in for her appointment until we get back to Florida. But, I'll be sure to let you know just how much Amelia has grown!

Good Bye, Chiang Mai

We've been here almost a month now and as we prepare to leave, I thought I'd post a few more photos because I know I won't have time right away when we get home!

The same day we went to see the elephants, we went to a temple called the Forest Temple. The buildings and the surroundings are very peaceful and beautiful. People come from around Thailand to meditate and pay their respects here. One day Amelia may appreciate all that. For now, though, she thought the temple bells were really cool.

Most days we walk around my parent's garden, which is quite beautiful. It's the end of the rainy season in Thailand and the daily rains make everything so green. They also cool things down somewhat, which is nice in the afternoon. The day this picture was taken, Amelia was helping my Dad pick flowers.

You'll also get an idea of what it's like when we go out to eat. We definitely stand out with that bright yellow high chair!

Amelia will get many chances to practice waving "good-bye" when we leave Chiang Mai tomorrow and head to Bangkok for a few days. She'll have a completely different Thai experience there visiting a city of eight million people with almost as many cars!

Chang, Chang, Chang (That's Thai for "Elephant")

Our last week here has been very busy - we went to see the elephants, we went to a Thai temple, we celebrated Halloween (Thai style, with watermelon jack-o-lanterns instead of pumpkins) and we're getting ready to leave.

Amelia LOVED seeing the elephants. They live in a forest camp called the Mae Sa Elephant Camp. It's a beautiful setting with flowing streams and lots of forest acres for the elephants to roam. The elephants also put on a show where they paint, play soccer, and stack logs. Amelia squealed, waved and clapped during the show. She wasn't intimidated at all! She loves to clap now, mainly for herself, but she also shared the love with the elephants. After the show, we fed her new elephant friends. A two-year-old baby elephant (I guess more of a toddler) loved the bannanas and sugar cane we gave him. He chomped so loudly! You can also take a ride on an elephant, which we decided not to do because it's sort of precarious to balance on the seats on the elephants' backs.

The temple we went to is also in a forest setting. My parents live on the outskirts of Chiang Mai and there are hills, rice fields and lots of open land right in their neighborhood. About 20 minutes away is the city of Chiang Mai, which has tons of good restaurants and delicious Thai and Western food. We've had so much fun, collected tons of memories and have the pictures to remind us of this special time with family friends. We head home soon. The next time we're here, Amelia will be walking and talking - maybe even speaking some Thai words I will teach her!

Hanging Out in Chiang Mai

For the first week or so here, we took it easy getting adjusted to the time change, meeting so many new people, and eating some new foods. (Amelia LOVES Thai mangos and avocados! The mangos are sweet and juicy and delicious - just right for feeding herself.) We eat most of our meals on my parent's upstairs teak porch. It's like being in a tree house with big, beautiful trees and flowers and birds all around. That's where Amelia does most of her playing, too, with a little girl who lives near my parents. Her name is Nong Ice and Amelia really digs all her toys! We went swimming at the Chiang Mai Sports Club. And Amelia takes LOTS of baths because it's hot and humid here (like Florida!) and there is no central air conditioning. (Only the bedrooms have A.C.) She has met dozens of new people and smiles at almost everyone she meets. I continue to be amazed at how well she has adjusted and traveled, especially at an age when separation anxiety is supposed to kick in. I hope Amelia grows up with a love to travel. There's so much to see in the world!