Oh Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah!

What involves a lot of spinning, jelly donuts, a substantial fire hazard and some really neat presents and lasts for 8 nights?

No, not Memorial Day.

It's Hanukkah! And you just wrapped up your first one ever!



This year your Mom and I decided that each night would have a theme for gifts, this made it really extra special. Themes ranged from 'homemade' to 'something for the whole family' to 'something read', 'something entertaining' and something surprising!'



Well, to be honest, the whole thing was pretty surprising for you, since you probably had no clue why we were lighting candles and singing...especially since you've probably never even seen fire before!


We celebrated some nights with just the three of us, some nights with Mimi and Pops, some with Uncle Jeremy, Aunt Michelle and Brady,
... some with Uncle BJ and Aunt Kari (and your Godmother Aunt Kari took some amazing pictures!),




...one with Aunt Sham and Scott and even one pre-night with Rebekka and Ross before they left town.

Rebekka even made our family new Chrismukkah stockings! They are awesome!
Guess which one is yours!
For a lot of your first Hanukah, I'm not quite sure you knew what was going on, but we were at least there to document your utter confusion. And..sometimes we got confused too.

Hey! It's hard to remember the Hebrew lyrics when the camera is rolling! I swear, we nail it every night...but when the camera's rolling, goodbye memory.

Here's your first night ever, gathered around our menorah and our Hanukkah bush!!







The first night of Hanukkah also marked the first time that you unwrapped a present. As it turns out, even that takes some getting used to.

And, if you're wondering, "pants" is NOT a lame present! You needed pants! But, whether or not you liked the pants, you seemed to like the wrapping paper!

As Hanukkah rolled on you got books, toys, clothes, and some other cool things too.

You really like books now! You can sit and stare and pound on a good book for a long time, just squawking and talking. You'll even go to great lengths to get a good book now! Check out you pulling to standing...and we didn't even have to bait you with a remote control!

This was really one of the best Hanukkahs I've ever celebrated. I think I finally got why it's 8 days long, and it has nothing to do with magic oil lasting for 8 nights: its about 8 nights of togetherness with family and friends; that's a way better message than "presents" too (although, who can turn down a good present?)

And being with you and your Mother, Preston and Toby, your real and adopted Aunts and Uncles, and Mimi and Pops over the course of this Hanukkah was really something to celebrate!

And by the end of your first Hanukkah, your Mom's and Dad's camera-induced-flubbing-of-Hebrew got no better, but you seemed to have learned a tune or two about Hanukkah! You even started singing along!