This is where we were last Christmas. Little One was in the NICU for the first two months of her life.

Her first Christmas was in the hospital, six hours away from home. It wasn't an awful Christmas though. Little One was healthy and thriving, and doing just great under the wonderful care of all the doctors and nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Mommy had the support of all the staff, parents of other babies in the NICU, family and friends in Toronto (very special thanks to my Dad's sister and her family for being so good to us and letting me stay with them for those two months while Little One was in the NICU). The Linden Fund also helped make Christmas at Mount Sinai a happy one. There was some semblance of "normal" in a time that was most definitely not a normal one for us.

The Linden Fund put on a Christmas dinner for us and there were presents and Christmas stockings for all the babies.

This year was a very different year for us. Little One had her first Christmas AT HOME! She helped Mommy bake cookies for friends and family...

hung out with friends and family over the Holidays and enjoyed some Funeral Cake.
Okay, Little One didn't have any cake because Mommy is mean and will not let her have refined sugars, chocolate, or anything of that nature.

The funeral cake was delicious, by the way!
In case you missed the whole funeral cake post, a friend of mine made my birthday cake for my surprise birthday party. Her husband told her it looked like a funeral cake, so she made me a pink tractor cake instead. When we had them over for supper a few days later, she brought the funeral cake. We enjoyed it thoroughly. It was to die for. Mmmmkay, perhaps that wasn't the most appropriate thing to say.
Little One enjoyed opening Christmas presents. She enjoyed playing witht he wrapping paper more than playing with her new toys. Next year, I think I'll just get her a roll of paper.
On Christmas morning, Little One was a very busy girl (as always).
Trying to figure out just how much mess she can make before getting caught.

One of the best presents I received was the white hot chocolate from Second Cup and the white chocolate and cranberry cookies my friend baked. This said, the Dodge Caravan my husband got me scored pretty high!
I have to say that the very best present I received this Christmas was a happy, healthy, thriving baby girl who is HOME with us! Precious time spent with family and friends is also one of the greatest presents I could ask for.