Dear Baby Clay,

Well, you survived your first family Christmas. Okay, okay...this one doesn't really count. But you did get presents already. Uncle Joe and Aunt Kari gave you a vibrating bouncy seat. It has an owl on it. And the continued to follow my requested theme with a onesie with an owl saying "Whooos the cutest?" or something similar. I'm pretty sure you're going to live in that onesie, it's that cute. Also, Grandma Sween (it's strange to type that because I had a Grandma Sween and she was really nothing like your G'ma Sween. I'll tell you about her sometime. She was a very special lady.) gave you a monkey towel. She also already has a stocking for you. I'll have to pick one up as well at some after Christmas sale for 50% off. (You'll learn early on how I like a deal. Or you can just ask Aunt Jess about that. She has some thoughts on that one.) The monkey towel went with Grandma Sween's theme of monkeys. She made sock monkeys for everyone. Homemade. Yep, your grandma is very crafty. You'll learn that soon too. Once I told her I was sad because I never had a sock monkey and always wanted one. I told someone at work this too, and she gave me a sock monkey a couple weeks ago. So it turns out I did now own a sock monkey, but there was something very cool about having my mama make one for me. And that she shared that joy with everyone. Yes, the sock monkey was my favorite gift this year (okay, maybe second if you count the stroller that Dad and I bought for each other. I can't get over those owls.)

Maybe now is a good time to apologize to you if you don't really care for owls. Because I have a feeling there will be an abundance of them around you. I can't even tell you where my sudden love for all things owls sprung from. It just kind of started that day I found that plush, pastel owl at that drug store in Maine. Your Dad and Aunt Jess convinced me to buy it and cart it all the way back home. So really, if you hate owls, you can blame them.

Love,
Mama Clay