New Year

{Jimmy, me, Malayna and Molly at my parents' house on Christmas.}

Hello and happy new year! How were your holidays? Ours were fun and very busy. Jimmy was on vacation from December 22nd to January 5th, so we did lots of things together as a family.

We celebrated Malayna's fifth birthday right before Christmas. Those five years flew by. I know everyone says that, but it's really true. One day you're holding, feeding and changing a tiny baby and the next you're watching the same child run happily into her classroom, greet her friends and kiss you goodbye.

{Malayna and Jimmy in front of City Hall in Philadelphia.}

We went to lots of parties, met with friends and family, and caught up with people we haven't seen in a while. Malayna got to play with cousins she'd never met before. We went to the holiday light show at Macy's in Philadelphia - something both Jimmy and I did with our families as kids. We took Malayna to Disney on Ice and I had my fill of princesses for the year.

Artie came by for a visit for the first time since he left in 2005. It was a great visit - he and Malayna painted together and reminisced over some old photos of the two of them. He stayed for dinner, which he, Jimmy and Jimmy's brother Philip made together. He gave Luco lots of hugs, and told him how old he looked. He told us how sorry he was that he left - how it was a big mistake on his part. I wish I could say that this story has a happy ending. We were supposed to see him again on New Year's day - we were going to pick him up and go to my parents' house for dinner. I called him over and over that morning, but he never called back and never showed up. I had a feeling that would happen, so I'm glad I didn't tell Malayna about the visit. I'm sure he's using again, so I'm not calling him. I'll treasure that good day we had.

{Malayna - in her Diego costume - and Artie looking at old pictures.}

I've been posting pictures on flickr with my new camera! It's a Canon Rebel and I LOVE it.

How were your holidays?