Ben in January: first snow (actually that was December), and lots of other smooty moments :)

He more and more likes playing on his own. We like to peek at him from the doorway - it's the cutest and makes him feel like such a kid.

He smiles REALLY hard sometimes :)

Ben's first Christmas

Our friend Alice came to stay from Paris, and we had a gorgeous Christmas week, lots of lebkuchen, Carol singing, winter walking, Christmas market-ing, and family gatherings.

Excited for Christmas!

Opening his first gifts from his great-grandmother, who lives downstairs :)

The sweet bear was a hit!

Then to his grandmother's house to play with Anna in front of the gorgeous tree.

Candles!

Sweet Alice was so perfect with Ben!

Annual Christmas concert from the Weis kids.

I love our first Christmas family portrait. Ben!!

poofy-eyed on the morning of the 25th.

With his goods!

Country walks.

Gorgeous Lauf, the little medieval village 3 kilometres from our town.

Germany does Christmas right, I tell you! Hurrah.

Pictures from Brama and Pa's visit, and Ben in general of the last weeks :)

Very happy to see his Pa and Brama :)

This is in Nürnberg at the Christmas market :)

In Vienna, we went to a traditional coffeehouse for cake, and all Ben got was a dry old cracker. Dang!

Bikini boogie! :)

We foolishly thought Ben was too big to be rocked to sleep, but Pa quickly set us right :)

Looking especially rotund in front of the Vienna opera house.

At the Belvedere Palace Museum in Vienna.

With Anne, his kind Godmother!

Lots of hugs all around.