Happy New Year!

Hello all, this is Grandpa Gene.  Craig and Natalie are both working tonight (New Years Eve) and it falls to Carol and I to watch the little one. (and write the blog) As I write this, Carol is walking the floors with a whimpering Kylie who is clutching her little doll in one hand and Carol's iphone in the other, playing Lionel Richie who is trying to sing her to sleep.
      The day started with breakfast here at our house.  It was the first time we had seen the little star since Christmas and while she gave Carol a big hug and wouldn't let go of her, she played the shy one with me and kept looking at her shoes. She did demonstrate her now famous four point crawl for us and was rewarded with the appropriate applause and adulation.
     I got to spend some quality time with a happy but subdued Kylie this afternoon and my folks stopped by to see her.  My mom and dad love her like she was their own and it reminded me of all the people who love this little one, not only on our side and the Johnson's side but just about everyone who has ever met her.  It is a wonderful thing to have that much love in your life.
    Later we all had a turkey dinner that grandma Carol fixed and then Craig and Natalie kissed Kylie goodbye.  She started waving goodbye with a big smile on her face until they walked down the driveway and she realized that they were leaving and she was staying.   To her credit she didn't cry, at least not then.  She has a hard time going to sleep without nursing and she really misses her mommy at bedtime.  After Carol gave it her best shot, I was able to get her to sleep while walking her around and yes, still listening to the sounds of Lionel Richie.  That was 10 pm and its 11 pm now.  I don't think I will last until the new year (Carol has been asleep for an hour) so I will just wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year. 

I'm sorry that we didn't take any pictures today, so I thought I would include one of my favorites of Kylie from this past year.