Baby, Its Cold Outside!

Thursday marked LilPea's six month birthday. I hardly know where the time went, but on it marches.

Don't worry, we didn't punch her in the eye. LilPea has clogged tear ducts and sometimes her eyes get red at the end of the day.

I'm not going to lie, there's not a lot to do in pleasant southeastern CT in the dead of winter so we've been inventing activities to amuse. Most of these involve watching CPea playing dress up and creating elaborate imaginative scenarios.

This is the catapillar/seat belt scarf game. And below is the slumber party game, Nemo sleeping bag is mandatory.

This is LilPea manning her control center-her favorite place in the world.

"Oh the Places You'll Go!"

"I don't need to pick a card, I already know where I am going."

-CPea, age 3, on the rules of Candyland

Oh Baby!

I love the new year. Its a chance to start fresh and put the past in the past. With all the changes scheduled for later this year, we are trying to do our best to live in the present and enjoy each day.

LilPea is speeding through babyhood. She has teeth, loves to eat cereal and veggies and is almost six months. So I thought I would share some pictures of my little baby from our recent trip down to North Carolina.

LilPea and her new best friend Maggie Louise.
Can you find the baby in this photo?
You know the classic drunken pirate baby shot
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Babes in Toyland

It was a cheerful Christmas morning in our house. Despite some of Santa's elves staying up until around 2:30 (really-must there be 300 pieces per toy?) We had a delightful Christmas scene.
CPea was especially thrilled to see her living room covered in toys and presents.
I couldn't resist getting her the newer version of underoos.

That plan later backfired when she insisted on spend the whole day in them. Note for the future.

LilPea also enjoyed her first Christmas. Santa brought some lovely socks that tasted just right. She spent the rest of the day trying to eat the wrapping paper.
CPea asked Santa for two things: a kitchen and scisssor.
Its never too early to start on literature. Um, or books you can eat.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

merry christmas!

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Especially if you are the kind of person that wraps up their Christmas shopping sometime in mid July.

Of course, that is not me. So much not me, that while I was at the Post Office on Monday, foolishly trying to buy Christmas stamps there was a local news crew there interviewing people who were stupid enough to come to the post office on the busiest mailing day of the year. Well how was I to know-I don't even watch the local news? And, after seeing the hard hitting news crew in action-I don't think I'm missing much. So if you haven't gone to buy stamps for your cards yet, brace yourself. They are going to try to convince you that mickey mouse is the new santa.

Still, the merry making is full speed ahead with CPea at the helm. Tomorrow we are making a snowman villiage entirely out of marshmallows. I'll be sure to post some photos of my latest holiday folly. That's folly, not holly.

LilP continues to be indifferent to the endless shopping trips and wrapping deliberations. Her main objective these days seems to be figuring out how to get herself out of the bumbo seat. I think she hates that seat almost as much as I hate the people who try to use five coupons on a three dollar item and then write a check to pay for it.

I've resolved to conclude this holiday frenzy by Friday so my next post should be filled with the peace that is so often wished during this MOST wonderful time of year.

All I want for Christmas

Is my two front teeth...

Or in LilP's case her front four teeth. And I don't actually think she wants them judging from the screaming that has been the soundtrack to our life for the past week.

Upon hearing the Santa may not deliver gifts if there is no tree. CPea got straight to work decorating during our snow day afternoon on Thursday. Actually, it was a family affair, CPea and Scott would give me the ornament and I put the ornament hook on the tree. Teamwork is a big part of preschool, so CPea assigned us all roles and titles-Declaring, "Mom is the Hooker!"

We also attended the Academy's children's party on Friday. CPea until now was too shy to meet Santa. However, with the help of her friend Haley from preschool, they had a great meet and greet.

LilP was invited to join them as long as she stopped screaming. Which she happily did for almost a minute. A Christmas miracle of the first order.

Its beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas!

So we've been starting to celebrate. First things first, of course. Last weekend we went out to tag our tree. Given the 20 degree temperature, we made a speedy selection and did not spend much time with the photo-ops.



As with most things, tree chopping is better with friends. CPea and Co. had a great time racing around trying to find the best Charlie Brown tree.

After selecting our tree, we all piled in the car and drove to Maine. I know what you are thinking, if its 20 degrees in CT, isn't it colder in Maine? Well, yes, but Santa was making a special stop up there via helicopter and we didn't want to miss it.



LPea seen charming her dad into putting a good word in to Santa for her.


CPea saying hello to the big man.

LPea buttering him up herself.

And the first gift of the season has already been handed out! LPea has started sleeping through the night. That's right, she falls asleep around 9 in my arms and wakes up at 6:30 am. I can't ask for very much more.

Honorable mention this week goes to the great town of Apex, NC. Citizens of Apex, the peak of good living, are lucky enough to welcome three brand new citizens in the past month. Twins John and Spencer and Baby Maggie-are all unreasonably adorable-have made mothers of my two great friends from college. Me and my pea-ple cannot wait to meet these new babies!

Happiness is...

Well, its no secret that Thanksgiving does not rank among my favorite holidays. No offense to the well meaning passengers of the Mayflower, I whole-heartedly appreciate their efforts. Of course, they did travel in the time before travel climates were assigned colors. I ask you, what's a little scurvy if you can bypass security lines?

Still, now that I am a mom, I can no longer escape the harvestfest with macaroni and cheese and beer. So I in the past few years, I have been working to re-frame the holiday in terms of thanks and happiness rather than tense dinners and a root vegetable soup.

This year, my very smart husband suggested we escape to our favorite vacation spot in the Berkshires where we spent a week doing our best to relax. Turns out, there is no real relaxation for parents of two, but we did our best. To our delight, my younger brothers and mother joined us as well so CPea was in the kind of heaven that one can only get to when one is adored by "Uncles."

So in the spirit of happiness-I present to you my happy thanksgiving.

happiness is...

finding magic in a sofabed

a play in the first snow of winter with daddy

love from the uncles

one on one with Uncle Mark

being ready to ski-just as soon as she stops swinging

coooing with Dee Dee

standing at the foot of a mountain

playing with my girls (and dressing them alike)

reading with a very attentive audience

super family fun time

brothers on a winter adventure

happiness is being thankful for what I have, and being grateful for all of you.

thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!

from our little turkeys...

to yours!

All Aboard! Trains and Training

We spent last Sunday at Day Out with Thomas at the Essex Steam Train Station. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time wallowing in the blatant commericalism that is this little blue train phenom. Luckily, not a lead painted train in sight.

CPea was especially enthralled with everything Thomas, riding the train..

LPea was pleased to become a train conductor, now she wants to drive our cars!

Love is, an inflatable Percy


Standing in front of the cultural icon that is Thomas



CPea also rode in her first ride all by herself! And had her face painted!

And we went on the merry-go-round, CPea did not want to ride on a horse


A blissful day for a three year old.


And, for those interested parties, I am happy to report that CPea is officially potty trained! This is a significant milestone in parenting and a lovely relief from being that woman buying two sizes of diapers. It is satisfaction at its best.