Baby's First Christmas (and New Years) (and OSU Rose Bowl Victory)

Dear Riley,
I've been meaning to write this for a few days, but ever since we got back from Washington if I have moved more than three feet away from you I have been afraid that you were going to begin breathing fire at any moment so needless to say I haven't had much free time to be able sit down and do this. It has finally found me, so here you go!
Your first Christmas- so Grandma Sharon loves Christmas more than anybody I know and has been so excited about your first Christmas it's just silly. She was going to Ohio to see Uncle Adam and her entire side of the family Christmas morning, about 2 hours after we flew to Washington to be with Grandma Sally and Grandpa Doug and Uncle Keith and Uncle Sam. So we spent Christmas Eve at her house- and while for awhile you weren't too sure about the whole present thing, eventually you figured out there were new things to play with. Despite Daddy's somewhat resistance, we got you a few toys and then Grandma Sharon got you a bunch of stuff. We hung out at Grandma Sharon's, you pulled her CD's off the shelf (your favorite thing to do at her house) and then we ended up leaving you there to spend the night because we hadn't packed a darn thing and were leaving the house at 5 AM! So we came home and packed to spend five days in Gig Harbor with Daddy's side of the family- then picked up you and Grandma Sharon at 5 AM and off to Denver we went. You continue to be the epitome of perfect on airplanes, which is starting to freak me out. We were terrified about taking you on this flight- but you were so freaking good AGAIN. You didn't even eat on the plane- except for Daddy's ice (you are such a strange little creature) and a bite of a cracker that I gave you. You looooved looking out the window and when you were ready to fall asleep, you put your little head down right on my hand and closed your eyes and passed out. Daddy and I were slightly terrified about how you would respond to so many people you didn't know because you are in the peak of the "Stranger danger" phase. You were sitting in your sling with me and Grandma Sally gave us a hug and said hi to you and you just looked at her and put your head down on my shoulder as if to say "this is my momma and you can't take her". Daddy said you did better with everybody than he thought you would, and I thought you did worse than I thought you would. If I tried to leave the room you screamed your head off until I returned. You did great as long as I was there!
While we were there, we took you to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium and the Seattle Children's Museum. You so much loved the fish at the aquarium and totally loved playing with all the kids at the children's museum.I know there's more that happened but those are the highlights. I will post pictures for you after I find our camera.
You are eight months old now- eight freakin' months! How did that happen?
Love you as big as the basket of stuffed animals that belongs to you that is sitting on our living room floor,

Momma