Merry Christmas!

We have added a new wrinkle to the blog, video. We have two videos up thus far, an untitled one from Christmas Eve and one from Christmas titled "Anders Falls Over." The video can be differentiated from the pictures by the small "Blogger" icon in the lower right of the frame and the triangle in the lower left that looks like a play button on a VCR. Click or double click (not sure which) and you will see Anders in action. You can see and hear, without the occasional downside of smelling him!
Anna and I have had a very merry Christmas during our first Christmas in Ohio. We've made a lot of lasting memories with Anders. This 31st Christmas is like none other that I have experienced. We think Anders had a good Christmas. He slept for nine straight hours last night after the festivities, from 11-8 am, which was a nice Christmas present from him. He is also figuring out how to put his hands together. Anders has also increased his cooing, babbling, and smiling.
He has a new post feeding routine. Rather than just fall asleep on one of our chests after eating, he now goes into the Anders Pen (as seen on video one) and kicks, coos, and watches the toys dangle above him.
It's a bittersweet Christmas for me because this is the first Christmas without my grandma and Aunt Marilee. We were together almost every Christmas and if not on Christmas proper, soon thereafter. My mom and I went down on Boxing Day last year. The next day Marilee was admitted to the hospital, but my grandma's condition turned out to be more grave. Grandma passed away a couple of weeks later on Jan. 7, in the winter of her 105th year. She had a long and full life. Just because someone is old, however, doesn't mean that you don't miss them dearly. Faithful readers of this blog know that Marilee rallied and made it out of the hospital. She regained most of her health and we celebrated her 72nd birthday last summer in Marquette, KS. Her body eventually gave out in September, but her spirit shines especially bright at Christmas.
It's a dramatic change to go from being the kid traveling all over creation to visit relatives to being the father nestled at home with a newborn. It used to be that telling someone my Christmas travel plans would make them tired, now I suppose telling them my sleep patterns would make them tired.
It's all a long way of saying that life changed dramatically in 2009, and could change dramatically again next year. I doubt 2010 will have anything on 2009. It was a bittersweet year, but I am thankful for all the wonderful memories and excited to make new ones with Anders and company.
Merry Christmas,
Jon