A Very Allen New Year

This New Year's Eve, we traveled to Portland, Oregon where we gathered with the Allen family to celebrate Auntie Kasi & Uncle Dan's wedding. Once Luca and T forgave the travel agent (me) for our terrible two-pronged flight, we happily settled into the 8th floor of the downtown Embassy Suites, with family and friends around every corner.

Come wedding day, everyone donned their finery and met to witness the lovely Celtic ceremony uniting Kasi, Dan and their children. And once the first dj-amplified note rang out at the reception, Luca hit the dance floor and didn't leave it until the place was shut down three hours later. Must have been the dancing shoes...

or all the pretty ladies...



Either way, Luca very nearly stole the show and had the time of his life dancing with his cousins and friends, giving & getting a hundred hugs and kisses along the way.

We heard a message loud and clear from many parents this weekend that we should savor this time in Luca's life, that the time passes all too quickly. Between seeing Luca's cousins whose births I remember as if they were just a year or two ago, and watching Luca who is growing and changing in fast forward, it's clear that the advice would be well taken. We're all the more thankful for having had the luxury of time together over the last six months.

Squeezes for L & T

So grown up...H & N