A day in the Park

Taking advantage of a snow free day, we took the kids to the park to try out the balance bike.

 Parker prefers to go down the slide backwards right now. 

 And running with his short little legs down the ramp... and back up to do it over again!

Christmas Day 2011

Maia woke up first, around 6:30.  Santa had closed the pocket doors to the living room just to make sure that little people didn't go in without mommy and daddy. But Maia has figured out how to manage the pocket doors, so she had a little peek before coming downstairs and cuddling with us.

The Tree

Santa is very clever. He takes their initial ornaments off the tree so that they know which present is theirs!

The obligatory family photo is taken. Parker looks like he just woke up!

Then to the presents. Gifts from Nana and Grandpa, gifts to and from ourselves.

2011 seems to have been the Year of the Car, for Parker.  He was excited about them, as was Maia!

There were also a fair amount of art supplies, which worked out well with this Easel from Nana & Grandpa.  They played together pretty well, each taking a side.  However, I learned that Parker needs to be carefully watched when he has a crayon in hand. Some of our walls also appeared to be possible canvases...

Here, Parker demonstrates his "two-fisted" technique. Currently, he prefers the left hand slightly over the right.

But at the end of it all, Mommy and Daddy remembered: Santa said something about a gift that didn't fit under the tree...

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.  I most definitely appreciate this gift from Santa.  I'm hopeful it'll help to keep busy bodies entertained on cold snowy winter days.

But my favorite presents?

Maia's gingerbread man, Parker's painted wrapping paper.

Wish I had a tile like this for every year!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve (day) at our house again this year.  Since it was on a weekend and some of us were hoping to get to the candle light service at night, we started earlier in the day.

Maia wore her sparkly dress from Grandma. Lydia has one just like it in purple, so that makes it extra cool in Maia's eyes.

And this was about as good as it got for a pic of them together.

We had a little brunch, then cleaned up before opening presents.

Lydia and Parker

One of Maia's first gifts was a dress up outfit. For this, she was willing to ditch her favorite dress.  The Christmas tights, however, stayed.

Parker wasn't as excited about opening presents as Maia (who tried to help just about everyone open theirs). He was just a bit bleh and was content to hang out on daddy's lap.

Parker was, however, quite excited to get this soft doll from Aunt Kathleen. Someone said something about having a little buddy... and so that's what he calls it. "Buh ddddee" isn't quite as loved as "Paschi" but he's probably a close second! He's loving his little buddy!

Papa and Grandma got both of them this balance bike (I'm so excited. I think they'll LOVE it), and Maia spent quite a bit of time riding it in the kitchen.

It's too big for Parker right now, but he desperately wanted a turn. 

After gifting, we had an early dinner: Prime Rib, 

hot-oil fondue (aka, fon-don't in Ray's world), sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, "Papa's potatoes" - more food than we needed! 

And then some very tired children went to bed to await the arrival of Santa.

Art O' The Month(s)

I have LOTS of these that are outstanding since early Fall.

Parker's work in watercolor

Parker - Crayon

Parker's Halloween Mummy (toilet paper)

Parker at 18 months

A year and-a-half old. This is going too fast!

Parker's First Shiner.

On the 21st, we went to see the pediatrician for his well child visit.  The stats:
26.7 pounds - 58th percentile.
31.5 inches - 26th percentile
It was difficult to contain him in the doctor's office, so we played a little game to keep him from opening the doors.  I stopped him in his tracks by whispering: "Ready? Set! Gooooo!" and he would run his dimpled legs from one side of the room to the other. He'd turn around and look at me expectantly.  We kept this going for quite some time, until the nurse accidentally let him out, and then we both were chasing him down the hall way. Those short little legs are FAST!


We also have been assured by both the ENT and the pediatrician that his tubes are in, open and clear.  We are hopeful that they will stay in through the winter, and that he will have outgrown the problem by the time they do fall out.


He is trending toward the shorter, stockier side at the moment. We see that a lot in his clothes, as his pants are always too long (although often his shirts are a little short). I suspect we are due for a growth spurt soon, however. He is still wearing his 18 month clothing, although it is getting small. He has been wearing size 4 shoes since summer.  He looks much more toddler than baby.


He is growing in independence. He loves to open the fridge and see what he can find.  He's figured out how to open the bathroom door. His big sister has taught him how to slide down the stairs on his tummy. He loves to look at books. Books, books, books.  He'll look by himself, and of course he'll bring a book to you, yelling "Muk! Muk! Muk!"  He will put things away, including busing his dishes, with some guidance.


But my favorite part? The language explosion!  He will repeat (or try to repeat) most things you ask him. He's counting 1, 2, 3 and 3, 2, 1.  He's starting to put two and three word phrases together: "Mama's schooos" "Mooh, peese, muk?" (More please milk), "Daddy hoooome?"  
heh-Woah! = hello
Cocky? = cookie
Ca-kuh = cracker
See-yoh = cereal
Sah-sehjjj = sausage (one of his favorite foods)
Pah-tah = Pasta (a fave food)
Muk = Milk, Drink, Book. This one is very confusing!
Wasch = wash hands
Buuhsh Teesssh = brush teeth
Gumma = Grandma, gum
Papa = Papa, Grandpa.
Nana = banana (another fave food)
Eh-moh! = Elmo (definitely a favorite character)
D-d-doh-wa = Dora
Eye Treeeem! = ice cream
Yaya = Maia - although with some prompting, he can and will put an M on there, and get it right.
Pesch-ee = paci
Wisch-ee = fishy
Butt-bahl! = Football (or baseball)
Pah-tuh = Parker! He will pat his belly or point to himself in a mirror.  He knows what belongs to him.
Hope = help (I love this one!)


Animals and the sounds they make:
Muh-ey (Monkey):  ah ahh!  - 
Ow-ooo (Owl): hoo hoo!
Saur (Dinosaur): wraaaaooooh!
Hoh-see (Horse)
Dut (Duck): Qwaa qwaa


He can identify his:
eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, head, hair, belly, legs, hands, feet, toes.


Really, he knows most of the words for thing that are important to him in his environment.  
Here's an example of how Parker is trying to join in songs... Watch him study and try to pick it up! One week after he this video had been taken, there was an improvement in this behavior.  He's also now responding to prompts in preschool television shows when he watches with Maia on weekend mornings, which I think is hysterical.

(and please pardon my squeaky voice.  I was still working through the last of that awful cold)

Christmas Card

We didn't get particularly fancy with Christmas pics this year.  We didn't even go visit Santa as a family (although the kids did see him at school) because weekends were crazy with Ray being gone saying goodbye to Grandma A, the kids and I getting sick, and all the miscellaneous Christmas preparations... we just never got to it.  I was not even well enough to participate in Holiday Pops this year. 

So it was a quiet evening at home that lead to a few candid pics in front of the tree...

And the winner:

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Concert 2011

I have a number of posts in draft are waiting for completion that come, chronologically, before this event.  But in the interest of the arrival of Christmas, I'm going to post these now, and edit later.  Enjoy!

The daycare holiday concert.






The jokes are as follows:
What's a mommy's favorite Christmas Carol?
Silent Night.


What kind of bow is impossible to tie?
A rainbow.


(Maia's joke:)
What does an Elf learn in school?
The Elf-abet (alphabet).


Where does a snow man keep his money?
In a snow bank!