Merry Christmas!

From our family, to yours!

So This Is Christmas

Did you see my sister's fantastic acting debut as a pine tree?  It was a stellar performance.  Two thumbs up.  Definitely a must-see for the season.

And what a season it has been!  We have been as busy as little elves (and as small) this Christmas.  The night after Laura's show, we went to Dad's holiday party at work.  We got mired in traffic on the way up, but we arrived just in time to see Santa!  Laura waltzed right up, climbed on Santa's knee and reminded him of her wish for a Doctor Kit.  Woe to the elf who forgets to pack THAT gift in Santa's bag!  I was nestled all snug in my Graco (while visions of sugarplums danced in my head - those are food right?  I love food) when we arrived, but awoke happily enough to sit on Santa's lap and start yanking his beard.  Oh what fun!

This weekend we did some shopping as a family before Laura went to the birthday party for a school buddy at McDonald's.  I am told it was a very fun birthday party.  Maybe I'll get to go too next time!  I had my own playdate on Sunday, with a little boy just a little older than me.  His mommy used to work with my mommy!  The moms made us put our hands in this weird glop... my handprint didn't bake quite right, so I hear I'll have to try it again.  But maybe after Christmas.

On Monday, Mom and Laura baked some tasty cookies for our teachers.  We love our teachers!  I hope I can help bake the cookies next year!

Laura and I wish all our beloved readers a very, very Merry Christmas!

Videos: Laura's Christmas Program

Laura and her friends goofing around during the Christmas Blessing:

 

Laura dancing along to the music:

 

Laura and her friend as the Pine Trees during the program:

The Grand Finale: We Wish You a Merry Christmas! 

Pine Tree

I'm a little pine tree tall and straight 

Here are my branches for you to decorate. 

First you put the star on the very top 

Just be careful that the balls don't drop! 

My school had our annual Christmas program last night.  I was a pine tree!

I didn't sing Frosty the Snowman, but I did dance along while everyone else sang!

(I don't like singing Frosty the Snowman!)

I sat very nicely with my classmates.

Cutest pine tree ever! 
(My BFF and fellow pine tree is also pretty adorable!)

I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille!

With my dad after the show.  I'm a star!

Gingerman Houses

I darted past my teacher yesterday morning: I had something important to tell my mom, and I had almost forgotten!  I had my pointer finger out, so my mom would know I needed her to wait just one more minute before she left to go to work.  I had a great idea, and she needed to hear it!

Mom!  Houses tonight!
Hmm?
Gingerman houses!
Umm...
Let's make gingerman houses tonight!
(Mom's are always a little slow on the uptake, aren't they?)

Mom must have agreed that my idea was particularly inspired, because when we got home last night she got out some ice cream cones, a can of frosting, my Halloween candy that I've been saving for a special occasion, some pretzel sticks, and a few Pepperidge Farm gingermen for good measure.

I added my frosting very carefully.

And tried a lick, to make sure it was good. 

It was very tasty.

I added some candy decoration (and ate some of that, too).

Then I showed my gingerman house off to Gavin.  He also wanted to eat some of the candy, but he's too little.  More for me!  (PS - little brothers are SO grabby!)

I had such a great time!  Don't you just love my gingerman house?

*My mom would like to thank Pinterest for providing a little "(p)inspiration" and the idea of using ice cream cones for gingerbread houses.  The little house we made of graham crackers, um, collapsed under the weight of all the frosting pretty quickly.  The ice ceam cones were so much more mom- and preschooler-friendly!  We hope you have fun making Christmas crafts this year, too!

Crawling!

Just one week shy of his 7 month birthday, Gavin is crawling!

He has been working so hard at trying to crawl.  He's finally getting all his moves coordinated!  We are so proud of him! 

As a comparison, Laura was almost crawling when she wrote up her 7 month recap.

The Big Man Himself!

Mom and Dad invited all our friends over for our annual Christmas party this past weekend.  I got to wear the most beautiful party dress (thank you, Grammy!), and loved twirling and spinning in it.  I also got to climb up on the table to steal cookies.  The gingermen were my favorite!

I had a great time playing with my friends who were able to join the party: Jackson, Jackson, and Julia - and all their sisters!  Gavin was the biggest of the babies, so they weren't too interesting for me.  I was happy enough to have a few of my friends to run around with. 

But then.  OH!  SANTA CAME TO OUR PARTY! 

I got to sit on his lap and tell him - in person! - about the Doctor Kit I would really, really, really like for Christmas.  We were all so excited to see him!  Julia gave Santa a huge hug and asked for a Baby Cinderella Doll (good choice, Julia).  School Jackson was all smiles for Santa and asked for some new trains.  ChrisAnita Jackson was a little shy near Santa, and didn't want to sit on his lap, but I think he was still quietly excited to see the Big Man in person. 

We finished out the night with some dancing, as always.  Oh what fun!  Merry BadBash to all!

Deck the Halls!

On Saturday, Laura threw the nosiest tantrum ever on the way to a Christmas Tree Farm.  Something about a ring that she left at home?  I don't know - I tried to sleep through the noise.  At any rate, Laura stopped crying, we got to the farm, and our friends Chris and Jackson were there, too!  We were all picking out Christmas trees for our houses!

Laura loved running from tree to tree, chasing Jackson, being chased by the grown-ups, and roaring like a dinosaur as loudly as possible.

 I loved sitting on the soft grass and reaching for the pine needles.  I thought they looked especially tasty.

We finally found the perfect tree!  It's tall but not too tall, and nice and round at the bottom.  Daddy had a big saw that he used to cut the tree down. 

 Imagine my delight!  A whole tree for our little house!  The occasion merited a fancy hat in celebration.

 Mommy strung the lights, and Laura got to add the final touches!  She did a great job with the star.

I also liked her Cluster-style decorating method.  It's very Avant Garde.  Or maybe Abstract Expressionist.  At any rate, our tree looks fantastic!

Mommy also decided it was time for new garlands in the dining room last year.  Up they went!

Daddy thought our Mer-Riesling would feel more seasonal with a Santa hat.  I agree.

Mommy also made this wonderful little felt tree with some of her friends.  The ornaments all stick on with Velcro.  Laura is having SO much fun decorating and redecorating the tree.  I can't wait till I'm bigger next Christmas, and can help Laura decorate the felt tree - if she'll let me! 

I'm still new to this "Christmas" thing, but I think it's really great.  I love gnawing on the Little People Wise Men in Laura's nativity set, and the twinkling from the cheerful Christmas tree lights is just fascinating!  What a wonderful time of year!



Laura: November Recap

Well, I wasn't great at keeping notes on Laura this month.  In part, she was just so funny to talk with and listen to, I couldn't keep up!  Laura is also starting to be a bit more... nearly three?  Her behaviour, while still pretty good, is just a bit stubborn and unpredictable.  Some days are great, others have a few more time-outs.  I think it's pretty typical of her age, and she really is a very good kid!  Here are a few of the cute things I did manage to note:

Laura wanted to send "Entertations" to her "kids" (imaginary friends) for something.  Entertations, in case you are unsure, is a combination of invitation and entertainment.  Which really makes a lot of sense!

Laura: What's that?
Me: You know what that is!
Laura: My freckle! Is someone gonna take it?
Me: Well it's sort of attached to you!  Laura: Maybe I should name it.
Me: Ok what's it's name?
Laura: Ferdinand! (and then she named her eye "Caps," after Caps for Sale)

A discussion while feeding Ries (an elaborate and lengthy undertaking): "I take good care of my puppy. I feed her all by myself cause that's responsible and I love taking good care of her." 

 

Baa is my very best friend!

Grandma bought me these a long long time ago ago.

And I recently discovered that Laura can work the pedals on her trike!

Using her "noclars" to hunt for dinosaurs in the trees.

Gavin: 6 Months

Somewhere in the middle of November, Gavin turned six months old.  Where does the time go?  I've gotten a bit lax in taking notes for updates.  It's a hard life, being the second kid. 

• Gavin is sitting up very well on his own, but does still fall over backwards sometimes. 
• He loves having raspberries blown on him or anywhere in his vicinity - it's a sure way to ellicit a smile!  Not that it's hard to get that happy boy to smile. 
• Gavin enjoys playing "near-far," staring at that other baby (and Mommy) in the mirror, Patty Cake, Row Your Boat, and pulling Laura's hair.  We think he's trying to make a wig for his own bald head. 
• He seems to have a little more peach fuzz growing in up there... but he's still really bald!
• Gavin is eating solid foods twice a day: cereal with a whole Stage 1 jar of squash, sweet potatoes, apples, or bananas.  He seems to like them all, but I think apple might be a favorite.
• I tried letting him have a Cheerio recently.  He loved chasing it around his tray, and was even able to pick it up!  However, Riesling was the real winner, as she got to eat every Cheerio I set on Gavin's tray.
• Gavin is up on his hands and knees, rocking back and forth.  He still has yet to actually crawl in a forward motion, but he's very close!  And while not crawling, Gavin is able to get himself places by shoving backwards and rolling.  He's VERY good at getting himself stuck in cubbies and under chairs!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year for Thanksgiving, we rented a house in Lewes Beach, DE with Daddy's family!  It was a really big house (with a really comfy couch) that we could all spread out in, and really enjoy each other's company.  Gavin and I had so much fun playing with our cousin.  She's just a month younger than Gavin - how fun for the two of them to grow up so close in age!  I am much older and wiser, which means I have lots of fun bossing them around!

Gavin kept pulling Nico's hair.  We think he was trying to get some for himself.  She does have plenty to share.  I felt bad for Nico, though.  Little brothers pulling hair is the worst.  I told her, "Sometimes Gavin does that to me too, Nico.  I don't like it either.  Stop pulling hair, Gavin!"

Mom has been trying to get me to laugh at the camera, rather than scream "CHEESEEEEE!"  She thinks she's getting better results.  I think she's making me look maniacal. 

Gavin and Nico had the most fun sitting next to each other in their "big kid chairs."  Newsflash little guys: you are not big enough for big kid chairs; those are little baby chairs.

The house came with a big fishing pier.  I forgot my rod, but Nico thought Aunt Maria's would work for her.

TURKEY!  Not that I ate any, of course.  But even though I didn't eat much food, everyone else did.  Nico enjoyed her first bites of mashed potatoes.  Gavin gobbled up some squash soup.

And that night, we all got to wear our Christmas jammies for the first time!  I picked out all three pairs.

There were plenty of hugs all weekend.

And even a few trips to the beach!

Poppop thought we'd look cute as a "cousin train."  Mostly, we all just fell over in the sand.

Our house was very close to Henlopen State Park, which is also Fort Miles. 

I got to use my digger.  I also really loved running after the sea foam that the big waves left behind.  I was so sad that the foam turned to sand when I tried to pick it up.  No pictures, of course.  What's the point of having a papparazzi trail if they (MOM) always miss the good shots?

There was a very pretty little lighthouse just past the house we stayed in.

Our houses might be divided, but that's ok.  We can still be friends.

Lumberjacks unite!

This Thanksgiving, I was thankful for:

Tutus and party shoes

Ballet school

Ballerina princesses

Princesses

Library books

Marshamallows and Hershey Kisses

Big girl undies

My baby brother, Gavin (even with the hair pulling)
My mommy
My daddy
My puppy, Riesling
Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins
My baby dolls (especially Bitty Baby and Coraline)

My "Big Girls" and "Kids" (imaginary friends)

Tickles and cheek raspberries