Sophia's First Christmas

Everything was new to Chrissy and I this Holiday season. Everything that we usually do like gift shopping, wrapping presents, Christmas cooking or heading to a family members home needed to be planned to a nap time and took double the usual time.

And as the keeper of a newborn we were popular! That's new - People actually wanted to visit us :) Us, being Sophia, but Chrissy and I will take it.

Highlights of the Holiday season included birthday parties, many meals with family, getting spoiled by multiple Grandparents, and friends coming by to visit:

Christina, her Gido (Grandpa) on his 92nd birthday and Sophia:

Christmas was in Edmonton this year and we were treated to multiple massive meals at Chrissy's parents, grandparents and aunts houses. With all of those meals came family all to eager to give Chrissy and myself a break by holding Sophia.

Cross-eyed to read the writing on her jumper :)

Shortly after Christmas my Mom accompanied my sister Monica's family back from Saskatoon to meet Sophia for the 1st time. Sophia, although gassy, was pretty well behaved for Grandma.

Mom of course is a pro with a baby. I am guessing her calm that comes from experience was picked up by Sophia. We haven't gotten her to burp so well or sleep so well in this position since Mom showed it to Claire and Ren.

Mom and her baby's baby

We haven't been the most mobile, so we have felt fortunate to get sp many visitors. I never even thought to grab pictures from the first few visitors (Monica, Mark, Alex, Markiana, Chris and Tara Foster) but did smarten up to get some from the later visits.

Below is a picture of Rob and Carryn's daughter Justine holding Sophia. It was a bit surreal to see as I still remember the day that Justine was born. We collectively celebrated quite late into the night and my Sociology 101 test the next morning was a bit of an adventure. Justine was a natural with Sophia.

Shortly after Ukranian Christmas we were visited by Andrea, Ryan and Tekyla (9 months).

Teklya was very interested in "the baby", I am thinking that over the years they will find some trouble together, not unlike their mothers.

With all the food eaten, visitors gone and tree put away for the year we look forward to more firsts and more memories.

2 Weddings, 2 Provinces, 1 Day

This summer Chrissy and myself found ourselves in a fortunate, yet somewhat impossible situation. Two very important sets of people to us were getting married and we were invited. But the rub was that they were on the same day and about 500 kilometers away from each other.

We had a delicate decision to make; which wedding should we attend?

• Do we attend my oldest niece Nikki's wedding - the start of a whole new generation of weddings in our family, or
• Do we attend Andrea's wedding who is one of Christina's longest term friends (I hesitate to say 'oldest' with women involved) and who asked for Chrissy to be a bridesmaid after standing up at our wedding less than a year ago?

After some debate we decided that Chrissy would support Andrea as a bridesmaid and that I would head out to Saskatoon for my niece Nikki's wedding. In our short time being married we have learned fairly well to compromise; Or at least Chrissy has. After all, her saying yes to marry me was the ultimate compromise possible for a beautiful and successful woman. True to my nature to pursue her, I would not settle. I would endeavour to attend both weddings.

Nikki and Luke 

Leaving Chrissy in Edmonton I headed out early in the week to Saskatoon to hang out with friends and family. 

Mom and Grandkids

Before too long the big day was upon us and we headed out to the Forestry Farm for a late afternoon (4PM) wedding.  The predicted rain showers were seemingly put on pause and the assembled guests were in good spirits as we awaited the arrival of the bride.

Brother and Grandmas of the Bride

The assembled Kehrig clan

Right on time Nikki emerged from behind the trees escorted down the aisle. My brother Lawrence looked quite dapper in his suit escorting her but it went without notice compared to how great Nikki looked (only now do I actually notice just how well Lawrence was put together).

Both Nikki and Luke looked fantastic and their happiness and excitement was apparent to all those in attendance. Everything about the ceremony fit their personalities perfectly.

It's hard not to look at them and see their relative youth. As someone who was a bachelor for some time I am almost jealous that they found each other so early and get to spend so many of their years together. Marriage can be a challenge but certainly we will all be there to support them and they could not have a better couple to emulate then Nikki's parents, Lawrence and Betty.

Andrea and Ryan

Immediately after Nikki and Luke's wedding I raced back to Mom's place to change out of my suit into comfortable driving clothes and I hit the road. I left Saskatoon just before 6 PM heading west on the Yellowhead Highway. At this time Chrissy was just arriving in Vegreville for drinks before supper and had 12 hours under her belt in makeup/hair prep, a ceremony in Edmonton, and pictures at the Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village.

Thanks to my heavy foot I arrived at the hall in Vegreville around 10PM just in time for the first dance of the night.

Andrea and Ryan both looked great but I had my eyes set on a certain bridesmaid. Maybe, if I played my cards right I could get her to come home with me. 

The bride and groom are both of Ukrainian heritage and have both had long association with the Shumka dance group.  As a gift to the happy couple and the ~350 assembled well wishers in attendance we were treated to a special performance.

The athleticism of the dancers was of course outstanding and the fusion of the music, motion and color propped up the energy of the guests for the rest of the night. 

In fact it wasn't long until the guests got in the action forming a kolomyka (soloists dancing in a communal circle). And it wasn't long after that when the bridal party decided to kick up their heels.

Chrissy and I spent the night visiting with friends and the odd slow dance interlude before we realised that it was getting near 2am. With the clean up for the night done we caught the last shuttle bus back to the hotel and were pleasantly surprised when the guests of honor jumped on with us. Pretty impressive that they lasted the whole night!

And so ended the multiple wedding in multiple provinces day. Each wedding was completely different yet lovely and fitting to the couple in its own right. Chrissy and I wish both couples well as we look forward to many anniversary celebrations in the future.