HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dear Everyone,

What an incredible year 2008 has been! Thanks for being a part of it.

Vanessa would like you all to know she's lovin' every minute of being alive.

Jack and I would like to say the past two years have gone by like one giant year, with a full decade of experiences packed in. Time has been, well, warped. We love it. We wonder how warped 2009 will be and await it with great interest.

December 2008 ended with a bang. Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Susan hosted a California family gathering at their house the weekend before Christmas. We had a blast. Vanessa was Santa's First Assistant, delivering each gift under the tree to the appropriate person. She made no mistakes.

It was, perhaps, a trick year, because there were a few new faces in the crowd. One of Vanny's favorites, Anthony, is cousin Adrienne's fiance. Extra special person number 2 was the lovely Nicole, cousin Matt's new girlfriend.

Auntie Susan gave Vanners a trunk full of Disney Princess Dresses, replete with crowns, jewels, slippers, and a sceptre. Van said, "Oh no way!" and promptly paraded her new wardrobe about the house, ultimately declaring the pink dress to be her top choice. Yes, your Highness.

Unfortunately, after getting over a wee staph infection, Vanessa then moved on to a respiratory bug of some kind. So, with Banana-kins suddenly illin', we high-tailed it home after our Christmas party, perhaps earlier than we would if she were healthy and didn't need her inhaler.

As a result, we only scarcely celebrated our grand daughter's second birthday on the 22nd. We did take her downtown to meet and greet Saint Nick and ride the merry-go-round, and served up her current favorite meal of hot dogs and grilled onions. No cake.

The following day, December 23rd, we sang the official "Happy Birthday" song with candles when friends Andrea and Jennifer came over with hand crafted cupcakes and gifts. Grandma mailed a scooter and rocking seat. Too bad Nanners was so sick. She woke up rather disoriented from a 3 hour nap when her guests arrived. She screamed, cried and clung to her mama, snot-nosed and swollen faced. The poor dear.

She rallied when she got her new tu-tu on and a scooter lesson, both compliments of Andrea.

The next day, more gifts for Vanessa. It was Christmas Eve, after all.

And Christmas? More gifts, of course. Nearly all for VanNannerkins, although I did get Daddio new underpants and he did get me a box of maple cereal. Boy, we went all out this year. Vanessa didn't rush to open any of the gifts, didn't feel like she needed much, and was very appreciative of all she received.

The day after Christmas the tree came down. Vanessa was sick all weekend and therefore stuck to me like a newborn marsupial in a pouch. She healed up just in time for our New Year's guests, Karl, Yvonne and 12 month old Baby Lucas to arrive from the snows of Seattle.

Karl was an elite decathlete training under Jack several years ago. Later, he worked as Jack's assistant coach, and, when we moved to California, Karl was hired into Jack's position as Head Coach in Seattle. Forget all that, we are just all simpatico.

We've been enjoying the sights together. For New Year's Eve we had a fresh crab fest with our guests, "Uncle" Chris, Andrea and Jennifer. It was a hoot!

We've been touring around with Karl, Yvonne and Baby Lucas in the Big Daddy Caddy because it holds all of us - two car seats and four adults. Lucas holds Vanessa's hand as they ride along. See them here, Nanners fast asleep between adventures.



Although Yvonne and Karl got up and went running at 8 a.m. on New Year's Day whilst Daddio and I lingered in bed, we are a very similar couple. At least, we have similar marriages - coach + coach's wife - and similar parenting styles (attachment parenting).

See Yvonne here, getting her first ever surf lesson from Jack, at sunset. Photos courtesy of Karl.

Did you make any New Year's resolutions for 2009? I have one and only one: I resolve to try to keep pace with this heaven-sent creature.