why can't every day be like christmas?


christmas eve brought the most magical gift ever...
elsie and justin's new baby, little aesop. with a head of the softest black hair, a sweet sleepy demeanor, and constant tiny cooing mews like a kitten.

visiting them filled christmas eve with the purest love that only newborns bring.


the whole proud family...we loved hearing all about the birth. elsie was a champ, not even going to the hospital until she was nine centimeters dilated.




spent some sweet quality time with our own little toot getting ready for the next day's festivities. i boiled cinnamon sticks on the stove for ambiance and we watched Meet me in St. Louis. We visited with darin's mom and wrapped gifts and i ate all the goodies i've been baking.

we set up the couch bed to sleep out by the christmas tree just for the fun of it. then darin gave me my best gift: a dvd he made of lucy's life so far....starting from the end of my pregnancy and that day at the river, and ending with winter solstice and lucy bouncing and playing. needless to say, i got pretty weepy and my heart exploded. it is fifty minutes of my own personal view of heaven.
waking up together is always bliss.


in the morning darin gave me my other favorite gift: a poem he wrote in calligraphy about our baby. it's called "the milky way"and again, i wept. sigh. i am one sappy mama this year.

then we read a christmas book that was my own as a child...

and opened our stockings together. lucy is just old enough to enjoy checking out each item that we pulled out for her.

lucy's loot:

we got gussied up in our holiday frocks. lucy's was a gift from missa and clover back in the spring when we all met up in nevada city. i remember at the time it seemed so distant that i would have a fancy little babe of my own. and now here she is in all her glory with one of her favorite people on earth, emmy.


it's so nice to live with joey and emily so they can be a big part of this baby's upbringing. i think all the attention helps her be the best little happy babe in the world.

ah christmas day with my tutti.

the whole family gathers at our house which makes christmas day pretty relaxing for us. 
matt and amy and the kids were here giving lucy lots of attention and fun and lovins.


check out matt's amazing southwestern style "christmas" shirt.


bella got an ipod shuffle filled with music from her dad and headphones. never to be seen again without them.

darin blended up a big orange julius smoothie for everyone to share for breakfast.


we had so much fun together all day long.





don't kill me ade, this is too cute not to share:

em had legwarmers made from recycled sweaters for all us girls with "sis"embroidered on them.

grandma georgie joined in a spontaneous round of christmas carols.... 


with mikie on the uke.

gifts included lots of new reading material...


nana made lucy a new "nicey" from reproduced vintage fabric.

and lulu's big gift was a toy piano. we thought it would take a year or so for her to get interested but she already likes to sit in front of it in her little bumbo chair and touch the keys. so cute!




addie got her longed-for mocs, which look quite fetching on a pregnant lady, hm?

the festivities went on well into nighttime. joey and art worked in the kitchen again and we had a huge mexican feast with pops' homemade salsa, with all manner of treats for dessert.

there is nothing more satisfying to me than a day surrounded by my family. i am so lucky to be part of this group, and i'm pretty excited to be bringing up lucy into our madness, silliness, wisdom and love.

best of all magic and cheer and peace to you all for the new year's festivities!


Comments

jenny said…
Oh my, what a cutie patootie! And the pic of her and Darin is so sweet! My nephew is about the same age and it was so much fun to see his joy opening his presents. He loved the monkey I made him :)Happy to see all the merriness. Bright blessings on the new year.
Mrs. Habit said…
oh you guys are TOO cute! Love how joyful your photos come across here. And your sweet gal is getting so big and delicious. Love that little MIssa Handmedown.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Heather!!
J
Amanda said…
I swear that baby is one of the cutest and happiest ones I have seen. Happy Holidays to you all!
anne said…
merry christmas! what a fun day! you all look so happy and lucy's dress from missa is the cutest.

here's to a wonderful 2013!
Anonymous said…
Pretty sure my heart exploded. Or just bump-a bumped along with your happiness. Gorgeous day, and Lucy in her Christmas finery is kind of magic. What is it about babies in tiny velvet dresses?

xo
Tera said…
The warmth of your Christmas could totally be felt through your words and photos and that other magical quality. I love Lucy's green dress, so lovely!!! She looks like a doll!Newborns on Christmas, awwww so dreeeeeeeeeeeeeamy! Merry Christmas, it last until the 6th! xoxo
Heather said…
You are blessed indeed!! what a beautiful family and it looks like you had a wonderful Christmas ~Happy New Year to you and your family, may you be blessed even more than you can imagine in 2013 ~Love Heather
Milla said…
Holy Christmas Spirit! Can you hear the pitter patter flutter of my heart over this beauteous Beatty Christmas?!??! I thin I'm gonna come back to every year around the holiday season to remind myself what it's really all about. Love you and yours much! Happy Merry New Year! One of my wishes for it is that I should get to meet Ms. Lucy in person.
Janet said…
these pictures are so great of your wonderfl Christmas gatherings with family and friends, heather.... i can see the joy in everyone's faces... i can tell that ya'll were enjoying the time spent together so very much... HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!
Teeny said…
Hey honey-bun, I have been away from the blogosphere on a sunny holiday, and it is the best thing ever to come back to your genuine delight and love for your fams and celebrations. Your Christmas is described as the kind that everyone aspires to have. So much light and love and laughter and gifts and babes old and young. that little pianny is gorgeous. And Darin's gifts to you!!!!!! Amazing yes! I love how romantic you two are, sleeping in the lounge to be with the tree and the Christmas jazz all night. bliss. loves to you. xoxo
Thank you for chronicling our wonderful Christmas day. Your home is a haven of love, warmth and coziness. A perfect gathering place for our family honey. Thank you for making it a Christmas we will always remember! I love you my darlin' girl.
Nichole said…
love it love it love it. my family and i have mexican food for our holiday celebrations too. maybe it's a california thing (thang)?

thanks for listening to the album! i'm so glad you enjoyed it, and i am very flattered by your kind words! more to come, more to come.

the best and brightest to you and yours for 2013!
Crystal Lee said…
Oh golly, Lucy is the cutest. I love how you dressed her up in vintage velvet dress from Missa. She looks just darling in it. And your family dynamics are so touching. I especially like how you and your sisters made & embroidered your sister Em’s tights. How very thoughtful. That is so cool that you grew up a stones throw away from Ramona & Julian. I will have to check out Sharon Doubiago’s work. Thanks for the tip.
Missa said…
Lucy in her Christmas dress!!! Aw, cutest Christmas baby ever. It made me so happy to see her in the dress in the midst of your beautiful family and what appears to have been the most magical first Christmas ever, WOW! You all are so blessed.

Happy New Year Heather, I hope this year provides an opportunity to get to meet that precious little cutie of yours!

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