Don't Call It a Comeback

In the words of LL Cool J..."Don't call it a comeback - I've been here for YEARS!" Okay, so it's only been a few months since I started blogging...and about a month since I last posted, but I'm BACK...at least for now. I'll try not to overwhelm you with stories and just hit the highlights.

So much has happened since my last post. We had our first tooth, first Christmas Eve, first attempt at making pie, first Christmas, first cereal, first New Years, and the first time to almost lose Tyler while we're in the same room.

Where to start? How about with our Christmas Eve experience. Mike made chili on the 23rd for the Second Annual Gilson/Bufkin/Fink Chili Cookoff. After making the chili, he put it in the refrigerator before we went to bed. Supposedly chili is better when it's reheated or something like that...whatever. Anyway, when I went to get cereal the next morning (Christmas Eve), I noticed that the refrigerator was not very cold. I got the thermometer and figured out that the chili was about 50 degrees and had to be thrown away along with the rest of the refrigerator contents. Soooo sad. Even sadder was the magical-mama's-milk that had to be thrown away that I was saving for Tyler to have during the family get-together. Yeah, if this was a post of its own, it would be titled "Crying Over Spilled Milk and Spoiled Chili." Just to make sure that we didn't kill anyone, Mike made another batch of chili for the contest and everything turned out fine. Okay, now it's time for pictures.

Getting ready for the Christmas Eve adventure



Family Fun



Now it's time for another family tradition...the post Chili Cookoff wrestling match!



Here's Tyler on Christmas Morning. Is this a happy boy, or what?









Christmas at Grandma & Grandpa's House. Here is Tyler with one of my favorite people, Papa Tab. Papa is 94 years old...and yes, he is playing on the floor with Tyler, and yes, he did get a call on his cell phone during dinner.



Here's a picture of my first (and maybe last) pie. You should have seen the kitchen when I was finished. I think it took me longer to clean up than it did for me to make the pies.



Tyler was opening this present on his own and had the wrapping paper in his mouth before I knew it.



...and NO Christmas is complete without a visit from Santa's little helper, Bat Baby!



And finally...here is an image from the front of our Christmas cards. Kelly (thank you thank you thank you) did a great job of capturing so much of what we love about Tyler.



WHEW! I'm tired and don't have any more energy to continue typing. I didn't even get to the Nickell Christmas yet. I'll try to come back soon to finish playing blog catch up. And if you mess with me about my delinquent blog....(and also in the words of LL Cool J (and Tyler))..."Mama said knock you out!"