Our 2012 Christmas Letter

Visiting Santa at age 3

With 2012 quickly coming to close we want to share with you our busy and wonderful year.  Siena and Bella are very much the center of our world and we are blessed to have such a truly wonderful family. While we may be catching up for the next few weeks on the full year of blog postings, here is a quick recap of some of our most special memories in 2012.

At age three you would think we might be running out of "firsts" for Siena, but that was surely not the case. Some of this year's firsts included (for her and for us):

• Her first trophy, for trying hard in gymnastics (now a master of the forward roll).
• Her first lap across the pool; yes, swimming on her own all the way. 
• Her first church performance in the Christmas Program.
• Her first dance recital in the Cal Elite presentation of The Polar Express.
• Her first day of school (well yes, pre-school.  It was her first time to have to stand on her own two feet without the mommy and daddy safety net. Clearly more traumatic for us than for her.)
• Her first haircut, the first curl is cut!
• Her first choral performance as part of her pre-school's Christmas pageant. Frosty the Snow Man, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Jingle Bells!

There were many more special moments and you can read about them throughout our blog. 

In addition to these proud Siena moments we shared some special family time as well.  We vacationed in Radford for Elizabeth’s college graduation, in Hawaii with Grandma Gail, Grandpa Dan and Sara for Siena’s third birthday and we are heading to New York the week after Christmas to visit friends and family.  Aunt Elizabeth Porcelli vacationed with us in California for a few weeks as well enjoying fun in sun with Siena.  We also spent time exploring and enjoying California visiting Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo, Legoland, the Getty Center, Aquarium of the Pacific and more.  Life was full of special events. 

On the more adult front Dave started a new job at Glacier Water that he is finding challenging and fulfilling. He occasionally gets in a hockey game and has started teaching Siena to ice skate as well.  Lisa continues to be the best mom ever and spent time co-chairing her MOPS group, organizing their fall boutique and even found time for quick get-aways to head home to Radford and to visit the Napa Valley with some girlfriends.  Bella still loves a good walk, time at dog-park and playing with her little sister Siena.

We are amazed with the quickness of how time passes and how busy life can be, especially with a little one, but we are embracing it all.  We continually find ourselves having to remember to re-focus on time with each other in addition to our family time.  We are growing as a family, Siena is growing as little girl, almost 3 and half feet tall now, and Bella has enjoyed a healthy and tail-wagging year.  There are so many good reasons to be happy this holiday season.      

We wish everyone a wonderful holiday and a fantastic New Year!