Our Monkey is 9. Oh, and Christmas.

Ella is 9! How did this happen? She is one year away from double-digits, as her Uncle Marty pointed out, and halfway to 18. Adulthood. Old enough to leave home, get a tattoo, and jump out of an airplane (and you know she will - Mom-Mom Lindy will have to take her). My favorite thing about Ella's 9th birthday is how much her friends seem to get her. She has had a bumpy time with peers this year, being the target of some teasing. So, when her birthday party buds presented her with adventure/fantasy books, card games, dragons, a blinged out locking diary complete with feathery pen, and a HOBBIT ROBE (I know, right?), this mama's heart was warmed. Also, there was a dragon cake.

"Wait!" You are saying. "You skipped Christmas!" Yes. Yes, I did. Christmas was amazing and lovely until it wasn't. Again, we were knocked over by the generosity of our parents and other family members. We had multiple celebrations, received incredibly thoughtful gifts. and enjoyed spending time with my parents and siblings and their families. And then, because it just wouldn't be the holidays without a plumbing emergency, at 9:30 pm on Christmas Day we discovered that our sewer had backed up into the basement. Again. As of last week we are now the proud owners of a new sewer line. And it is made of gold! Well, I assume it is made of gold because it cost so much.

For more Christmas cheer, from a trip to the Magic House in St. Louis to gift opening on the Big Day, see our December photo album online. And happy New Year!