"Home" for the Holidays

Nic and I alternate holidays, namely Christmas, with our families.  Christmas 2012 was spent with my family in Missouri, and we were pumped since it was Audra's first Christmas.  And we were EXTRA pumped since my brother and Jessie (his wife) still hadn't had a chance to meet Audra, due to the distance, work schedules, travel expense, etc.  So within an hour of being home, the long-time-coming introduction to Uncle Brian and Aunt Jessie finally happened.  :)

 This last one is so HIM and also a typical goofy Audra face.  Quite perfect, if you ask me.

 Christmas Eve we all got dressed up and were happy to take Audra to her first Christmas church service.  Brian and Jessie attended church with her family.

 

We had a great time opening gifts on Christmas morning, and had a couple of awesomely lazy days just laying around the house and spending time with family.  I was pretty happy to be able to capture some precious moments on camera.  Like these:

Quality time with grandpa!

 And quality time with grandma!

The day after Christmas, we were able to have some family pictures taken.  :)

For whatever reason, every time Audra looked at my brother, she'd start crying!  It was hilarious and sad all at the same time.  She looked at him and starting crying during the shoot, so Jessie covered Brian's face to make her stop crying.  Quite awesome that the photographer caught that moment! 

We also got a special Christmas surprise!  Nic's family (parents, sister & her husband) drove up all the way from Texas to see us!  While still a long drive for them, it was still 10 hours of driving time less than if they'd driven to see us in Virginia.  It was great to see them, even if only for a few days!  I should add that Nic has a brother, too, but he and his wife live in L.A.  They weren't able to make it out to MO for the holidays. 

Audra had been particularly fussy, which was very unlike her.  Usually, she thrives in social situations!  At first, we thought it may just be the travel and unfamiliar scenery, but soon learned it was something a bit more. She woke up one morning with a fever and red cheeks, and was super clingy to anyone who held her.  So we decided to take her in to see a doctor.

Turns out, poor baby had the flu!  (Influenza A)  The nurse prac suspected that she got it from flying.  BOOO.  Nic had actually been feeling kinda crappy, too, starting a few days before she got her fever, so we're thinking he got it first then gave it to her.  So Nic had it, then Audra had it, and it wasn't long before I started feeling nasty.   ...then my mom got it, and we found out that Nic's dad got it as well!  (They were already back in TX by that time, but we know where he picked it up.)  So we had a household of sick people there for a while.  Audra and I actually delayed our flight home by a few days because neither of us were completely well enough to fly home with Nic.  He had to be back for work, so he went on home without us.  We also had to push back Audra's meeting of my extended family by a day, but she was finally feeling well enough to have people around. 

My Aunt Nancy playing with Audra.

I wish I had gotten some more pictures of all the others who were able to come (Uncle Jeff, Aunt Betty & Uncle Gary).  I think they were all pretty thrilled to finally meet her.


Whew!  Are you still with me?!?  We had a pretty eventful week in Missouri, and I'm glad I have some pictures to look back on.  It was definitely a fun time, sickness aside.  It was great to see some old friends and lots of family.  And yet there were plenty of people who I wasn't able to see... hopefully next time, my friends! 

Kinda funny how Missouri is called home for me.  Don't get me wrong, it still is, and always will be.  But now, being married and having a baby, home now feels like our house... Nic and I's home, where we live with Audra.  Only recently have I realized that my home has shifted at some point.  I'm actually not too sad about this fact, either.  I'm GLAD I've made our house feel like home to us.  :)  In all, I was happy to finally be back in MY home, my bed, and be back to our routine.  It was a great little visit, and yet it's great to be back home.