worlds longest post...

Ok, so I have been a major blog slacker. I apologize for my lack of effort over the past month. We have been so busy with Christmas and family. It has been the most memorable month and I will have to recap quickly.

Christmas with Knox was so precious. We celebrated our family Christmas on Christmas Eve morning. Of course Knox will not remember any of it but Tyler and I got so much joy out of buying him some little presents. He was such a doll as we opened them. He watched very carefully and listened to us as we got really excited. We spent the majority of the morning making videos and watching him play with his new books and toys. His favorite gift was a small "Christmas bear" that came with a personalized book from Santa. He has been sucking on that bear every day since then.The only "Santa" gift Knox got was this book. Me, being the sentimental geek I am, wanted to get him something really special that he would have all his life. So, I splurged and ordered this rather expensive book. It asked for his first, middle, and last name. Not thinking twice (which is something I am really good at) I entered: Tyler Knox Hansen. And OF COURSE the entire book is written to "Tyler" not "Knox". I was so disappointed when I got the book. But oh well. Santa got confused and didn't know Knox went by his middle name. Let the confusion begin...

Tyler bought me an "Edward" Barbie from the Twilight series. He really does know me.

I have to admit I am pretty proud of Tyler's Christmas gifts this year. I made him a t-shirt quilt from all of his college t-shirts and I got him a subscription to the "beer of the month" club!

Knox with his loot. He loves that teddy bear.

Our first Christmas as a family of three.

Christmas Eve was spent with Tyler's family (a little switch-a-roo from past years). We had big plans for the christmas eve service at church and dinner in town square. Of course, we underestimated just how exhausting it all was on little Knox so we ended up going to church and coming home for some yummy Chili (which ended up being a better plan anyways!).

Christmas morning we opened presents with Tyler's family and had a delicious late lunch with the entire Hansen clan. It was so much fun to have all of us together.  We always laugh a lot and have so much fun together.

Christmas Day Dinner we spent with my family. My family does family gifts on Christmas Eve and Santa on Christmas morning. So, we treated Christmas Day like Christmas Eve. Every year I think it cant get any better and every year it does. My parents really go above and beyond in making everything so special.

Best Christmas gift was this shark! He flies! I highly recommend it!

As if we had not celebrated/ate/laughed enough, we then had Christmas with my dad's side of the family. Bridget and Larry did a great job on getting everyone a "forever lazy". They were a huge hit and absolutely hysterical. 

Knox loving on his great-grandma, Gran.

As Tyler and I reflected on the holidays we were both just beaming with joy. Having Knox there was so special. We both feel incredibly blessed.. Christmas was different for us. The birth of Christ has an entirely new meaning when you become a parent. I thought about Mary a lot over the holidays. I know it sounds silly, but I though about what it must have been like to carry Jesus, the world's Savior, for nine months. To nurse him, to love him, to teach him, to watch him laugh for the first time. Tyler and I talked constantly about our new understanding of God's love for us.  He cries when we cry. He smiles when we smile. And above all else, he sent his one and only son to die for our sins. Oh it brings me to tears to think about it. Oh, how he loves us.