I have been working on this post for over a week now. Its been kinda crazy busy here at the States' household which is why i have had to sit down 3-4 times on separate occasions to write this!
Since Leith and I both work in healthcare there is always the very unfortunate requirement of having to work holidays. This year we were blessed to both have Christmas off so that we could enjoy our first christmas as a family of three! Leith even got a whole week off...during internship year...unheard of! So we decided to head up to LA to visit our families for the holidays. We started out the week by heading to Leith's mom's house the 18th and 19th where we just hung out at home and tried to stay dry since it was pouring rain. My friend Jen from college lives near by so she was able to stop by and visit. It was so great to see her and finally meet her boyfriend Johnny. Sunday night we headed to our best friends The Girards house and enjoyed a lovely christmas dinner with them and the Bodziaks and of course Moose (their bulldog). It was a great evening of eating, drinking, carrying babies, and watching football. Monday we headed over to APU where Leith and I both went to college and where we met. We were able to have lunch with a few old professors of ours and they had the chance to meet Isaiah. It was great to catch up and see some familiar faces again. I hadn't been back on campus since I graduated and I was shocked at all the changes they had made! That day we headed to my parents' house for the rest of the week. My older sister Mindy ended up in the hospital on Monday to be induced so on Tuesday we welcomed another little baby boy into our family! Dylan Ryan Schnieber was born on 12/21/10 at 1:30 pm weighing 6.4 lbs and measuring 19 inches long. What a great christmas gift for the entire family!
Leith and I were able to enjoy a couple of date nights that week thanks to my parents watching Isaiah for us. Actually, it was less of us asking them and more of them telling us to please leave so they could spend time with the baby :). Finally, on Christmas Eve we prepared for and enjoyed our traditional Londono christmas party, but of course not before we were completely shocked when we walked out to feed the dogs and discovered that our dog Brandi had given birth to 9 puppies! wow! We didn't even know she was pregnant...she hid it well! After scrambling to make room for the puppies and mama in the heated garage 2 hours before the party we were finally able to finish dinner and get the party started! I always love our christmas party because whenever my family gets together there is bound to be some good times. There is never a time when my family gets together that we don't bust out the conga drums and maracas and dance the night away. Even the babies wanted to join in and bang on the drums! Out of the 30+ people at the house that night were 3 babies celebrating their first christmas...what a joy! We were up until 3 in the morning singing and eating which made for a tired bunch Christmas morning. After opening gifts and having some breakfast, we headed out to Leith's moms house where we ate more and opened more presents. Of course they were mostly all for Isaiah. He doesn't need new toys for another 2 years! The next day we packed our bags, all of Isaiah's gifts, loaded 2 cars and headed back down to San Diego.
We couldn't have asked for a better Christmas with family and friends. We feel so blessed to have such great family and friends and felt so loved by everyone while we were home. We thank everyone for all the great gifts Isaiah received...he will enjoy them greatly! Below are a few snapshots of the our week at home....
Isaiah and his grandmas
Dylan Ryan Schneiber approximately 24 hrs old
Isaiah and his cousin Charlie
yay for presents!
We hope you had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
at "december nights" in balboa park...it was cold!
we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Sara's house and Isaiah got to see his first christmas tree!
Orchard
the apples were so small and cute!
