Oh, I know...I know...

Eeps...it's been so long since last I wrote. I apologize for that. It's amazing how quickly you can get caught up in the daily routine and forget the little pleasures. But it's almost a new year. A chance to alter my daily routine.

I really won't even bother to try and remember everything that has happened since last I wrote...All I can think of is Nile finally started walking a few months ago and is now running. The running is adorable though because his chubby cheeks get to bouncing up and down. It's too adorable. Nile is also becoming a pretty verbal little kid. He often likes to jabber in baby talk to himself. He gets really animated and throws his hands around as he talks. He must have some sort of story going as excited as he gets sometimes.

His actual vocabulary is getting quite large too. Up to date he has added the following words: No, go, uh oh, oh no, oh gosh, oh jeez, what's this, cracker, more, thank you, please, up, car and stop. Seemingly everyday I'll say something and realize that he's saying it back. I think Nile is going to be a very smart kid. He is still so attentive and aware of what is being said and done.

We had a great Christmas this year (pictures to follow). We woke up at a fairly decent time this year. Greg got up at 5:30, I got up at 6:30 (then showered and did my hair), then Nile woke up at 7:30. Once he was dressed and fed we sat down to open gifts. Nile got a very big stuffed elephant from Santa. He got a set of adorable blocks from his 2nd cousin Joshua. He got an activity table from Mommy and Daddy that has a little laptop, telephone, piano and story book on it that teaches beginner words, numbers, letters and colors in english and spanish. He LOVES it.

Greg gave me the new fancy copy of Sleeping Beauty (my 2nd favourite Disney movie, second only to Nightmare Before Christmas) and the piano score for Nightmare Before Christmas as well as the sheet music for Victor's Theme from Corpse Bride. I got Greg a music book that has a wheel on the front for composing music and a new kit to change the pick guard and all the nobs on his guitar.

After we had cleaned up our mess we drove down to Grandma and Grandpa Woodcox's. Christmas was amazing as usual. My Mom puts a lot of work into making Christmas absolutely fantastic every year. I'm positive that she spends all of her money and time between July and December each year buying and making gifts for all of us. We had decided to go a little slower this year (what a nice idea!) so when we arrived we sat down to our traditional breakfast of fried corn meal mush, sausage/bacon and other breakfast favourites. My aunt Annie joined us this year for Christmas too. She and my Grandma used to come every year, until the past few years when my Grandma was just too sick too travel. It was soo nice to have Annie there.

After breakfast was cleaned up we settled in to open gifts. First and foremost was the adorable bean bag chair that my mom had handmade and embroidered for Nile. He loves to throw himself into it. Each of Nile's cousins got one too. Nile got a dancing SUV from Uncle Cameron, some money from Grandpa and many many toys from Santa and Grandma. He got a toy boat, toy car, toy dumptruck and 3 musical instruments. He got his own toy guitar, toy piano and toy drum set that he can play and that also play several classic rock songs. He really loves the SUV from Uncle Cameron. He loves to flip it upside down after it turns on so he can rub his finger against the spinning wheels. Nile also got a personal cast iron muffin tin shaped like a train.

Greg got a really nice shirt from my parents along with some money from my Dad.

I got a cute hoodie and several shirts from my parents along with some money from my Dad.

Together Greg and I got new towels, a new game expansion set for Munchkins from CJ and Heidi, a gift card and movie tickets from Cameron, a new Calendar, a 72 hour kit instruction book, kitchen towels, and probably a couple other things that I'm not remembering right now. The big ticket item, however, was a fantastic digital keyboard!

I had expressed to my Mom the fact that I really missed having a piano and that Greg had wanted me to teach him to play piano. I also really feel like it'll be important for me to teach Nile piano as Greg teaches him guitar. Unfortunatley we just couldn't afford a decent keyboard to play on. Well as usual, my Mom was listening and she delivered. She got us a WONDERFUL keyboard to play on. I am so overjoyed to have a piano in my house. Music is so totally integral in my life and Greg's that not having a musical outlet for me was really hard. But I'm back on the horse now. They keyboard is great and sounds wonderful.

I am so thankful for my Mom and what an awesome effort she always puts into Christmas to give everyone all they want. The house is always decorated festively and it is always quite a sight to behold each Christmas morning when we walk into a room absolutely filled with presents of all shapes and sizes.

Anyways, we had a wonderful holiday and can't believe how quickly it came and passed. This time of year always reminds me of just how fortunate I am and brings out the philanthropist in me.

I'm really looking forward to the opportunities and excitement that the new year is sure to bring. My job at The Generations Network is quickly blooming into a career (one I didn't even know I wanted until now) and Greg's prospects with his current band are looking brighter with each practice. Nile is growing in leaps and bounds each day which makes me miss the tiny infant I held so recently. I so enjoy his steps forward, though, he gets more intelligent and more entertaining each day.

Uncle Cameron is leaving us soon too. Although I am so proud of his decision to enlist in the regular army, I can't help but get a little choked up at the thought of him leaving. He is headed to Germany for now but will most surely have to serve at least one tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. The thought of him serving in the war zones terrifies me but I recognize how much he thrives serving in the military. I am so proud of his willingness to serve his country. I am positive he will do well and will thouroughly enjoy his time in Germany. I have already placed my orders for chocolate and those famous German gummy bears. I also endeavor to learn German so I can communicate to him in the language he will undoubtedly learn quickly. It will most definitely be strange to not see Cameron wandering around my parents house but I'm sure we'll be in frequent contact. We joke that within an all too short period of time he will find himself a German-bred supermodel wife and quickly produce a brood of children.

I intend to do my best in keeping this blog up-to-date so that Cameron and other friends and family will be able to see what fun we have here at the Bowden home.