Teddy Bear Traditions

One fun tradition in my family is that on a baby's first Christmas, he or she gets a Teddy Bear.  Quite honestly, I'm not sure when or how that tradition got started since I don't have my own "First Christmas" Bear. (At least not one that Mom specifically told me was my first Christmas Bear)  But I do know I have an affinity for soft cuddly Teddy Bears......and it would seem I am not the first in my ancestry line to have it.

Jake's family also seems to have a Teddy Bear tradition going and his mom makes each of her grandchildren a bear when they are born.

This past Christmas was (of course) Baby Girl's first Christmas.  And just like my Little Man's first Christmas, this was her "Teddy Bear Christmas."  She received a Christmas bear from Mommy, Grandma Jensen, and Great Grandma Brinkherhoff--maybe we should call her Goldilocks :)

Isn't she cute with all those bears :)  The bear in the blue dress was the one from Mommy (and Daddy).  The sleeping "prayin' bear" in the front was from her Great Grandma Brinkerhoff,  The bear in the red dress was from her Grandma Jensen.  The yellow bear was her being born bear from Grandma Hathaway.


We also decided to take a picture of Little Man with his first year bears.  He has his "prayin' bear" from Great Grandma Brinkerhoff, Buster the blue bear Grandma Hathaway made him, the Brown bear from Grandma Jensen, and the white bear in the blue tux from Mommy.

 Remember how I said I have an affinity for teddy bears.....well, since we were taking pictures of the kids with bears, we brought out all their BEARS (not all their stuffed animals). 

 And here is what happens when we add Mommy and Daddy's BEARS......

Don't worry, Baby Girl isn't buried under the bears.....she decided she was done being gorgeous for the camera.