December 31, 2007: The Holidays

Hey Syd,

It was a holiday season of mixed news and emotions, but overall we can never complain about spending time with family and friends, and I can't help but be happiest when I am spending time with you and mommy.

We started the holidays in Calgary because Uncle Ian was on call and couldn't get the time to travel up to Edmonton. It was our first family Christmas in Calgary and Caden's fist Christmas e's ever! Ian and Katherine's place was gorgeous. We enjoyed hanging out in the bonus room which was 10 degrees warming than downstairs. I'll remember you and Caden playing with Caden's play mirror (there's a picture of him clutching it), you chillin' out in his rocking chair, you being too fast and strong for me and swiping mommy's place mat with her pho bowl and smashing it to bits on the floor and making a dent on the hardwood floor (sorry kath!), Santa getting you the new Olympic mascots, Christina and Jade dancing to Four Squares at Grand-Unc's house to make you laugh enough to eat, you wearing your Peyton Manning jersey for mom's good luck in the family NFL pool, late night NHL08 and Guitar Hero (Christina was a monster in GH3), and your first bath with Caden (and me and Ian). I even managed to impress Miki with the fact that my name was in the EA Playground credits (though admittedly it's after "testers" and takes 10 minutes to get to).

After a Boxing Day feast at Ian's, your Popo and Gong Gong came to pick us up from Edmonton (yes, they drove to and from Edmonton in one day just for you) in Gong Gong's new pick up truck. It was off to the farm for the Chan Boxing Day Dinner (yummy alaskan king crab and prime rib). Highlights from Edmonton were shopping with Popo and Mommy, visiting Cameron-Dave and Van for the first time with Cameron only two weeks old, Elia-Ben-and Kim visiting to see the horses and hang out at the farm, seeing Theo-Shawn-and Dolly and the oddles of toys they have, opening gifts with Auntie-Sabrina, Tarrick, Auntie Ava and Uncle Kirby (who's hair is the longest we've seen it in years because he's the best man at Augie's wedding). You LOVED Sabrina's front-door-house-fisher-price toy. You've got this thing right now with opening and closing doors.

We definitely got our mixed share of news over the holidays. Some friends sick, some friends expecting... and everything in between. My personal escape was NHL 08 at the farm and reading Bret Harts autobiography which I enjoyed more than I thought I would. I also got to sneak out a couple of nights thanks to mommy and treated Gong Gong (who drove from Leduc and sped in his big-rig truck), Ong Noi, and Christina to the Oilers vs the Ducks (we lost... and the game was boring) as will as meet up with Jess-Alex-Sarah-Chris and Ed for mini-Eggos get together. We capped off the holidays with a slumber party with the Tanakas and the traditional KFC and white wine feast (i'm still hurting today).

Other than winning the lottery, my biggest wish this year is that we can have a baby brother or sister for you by next Christimas. Love you every much. As I always say after getting to spend days with you, I miss you already.

xoxoxo, daddy