Christmas Time: Dallas Part 1

Sarah, Jim and James, and Grandma all made it to Dallas for Christmas this year.  With Bess and Jacob and Mara here, were were only short a few Deacon side families--who were terribly missed!  Fiona and Evie weren't feeling great that week, but we made the best of it and had a great time nonetheless.

Cousins got to play together,

Fiona got to help Grandma roll out sugar cookies,

we made gingerbread houses,

and, of course decorated the aforementioned cookies,

opened presents and played some more,

and sort of got a family picture.

Mara takes the cake for best present ever.

Fiona's been obsessed with Beauty and the Beast since seeing it fort he first time in early December.  It was her first musical, and boy was/is she heaven.  I love that after seeing it, she didn't ever pretend to be Belle.  She'd run around the house making her "beast face" and showing her "beast claws".  Mara's costume just made it all that much better.

Thanks for coming, guys!  We had such a great time, and can't wait until we all get together again--with hopefully everyone!

Simple Sweetness

How is delicious little chunk my baby?  When did she get so darn big, and how can we possibly be celebrating her birthday so soon?  

*sigh*

Christmas Time: Scituate

Soo...it wouldn't have felt like Christmas without a trip up north.  So to start the season off right, we made it to Scituate in early December.  Unfortunately, it didn't snow this year while we were there (or maybe fortunately given last years fiascos) so we don't have fun pictures of snowmen, sledding and hot coco. In fact, I think that week it was warmer there than in Dallas. 

That didn't stop us from having a wonderful time, though!  As much as I love Scituate in the summer, there is something magical about New England in the winter--even without the snow.  Maybe it's the lights.  Or the evergreens.  Or the giant leafless trees.  Whatever it is, it is wonderful as well.  And maybe you can't go enjoy playing in swimsuits on the beach or rinsing off in the frigid Atlantic after baking in the warm sun, but laying around by the fire with family and friends (we got to see the newly engaged Bowker and Miss Julie!), enjoying good food and drink, lazily watching movies and snuggling into bed early to feel refreshed when the little ones wake you up at the crack of dawn is still quite an enjoyable way to spend a long weekend in my opinion.  As always, thanks to Nanny and Papa for the fine hospitality.  Can't wait to get there again for wedding festivities in April!

Quite the feast, eh?

Christmas Morning

Just a warning--I didn't weed any of these out.

Every Christmas since Fiona was born I've been excited about firsts:  her actual first Christmas, last Christmas when she would be excited about cookies and presents etc.  This Christmas I was looking forward to her anticipation and excitement...and enjoyed her actually REALLY wanting something that Santa brought.  (That sounds weird and materialistic in writing...oops.)


Christmas Morning1 from Katie Bird on Vimeo.


Christmas Morning2 from Katie Bird on Vimeo.


Christmas Morning3 from Katie Bird on Vimeo.

Christmas Morning4 from Katie Bird on Vimeo.

I'm also constantly amazed at how different my girls are--from such a young age.  I still remember how much trouble Fiona had opening presents on her first birthday.  I don't know if Evie's just a better observer or what, but I don't think she had to be shown once what she was supposed to do.

Evie will also pick up the beat and start dancing...to anything.  Sometimes if it's quiet she'll dance to the clock.  In these videos, she'll start dancing whenever her farm starts playing.  She even found some rhythm in her grandmas snoring one morning...

Missing Pieces

Fiona: Momma, momma, I can't find my red hammer for getting the dinosaur.
Me: What hammer?
F: The red one?
Me (still confused): Your hammer is with your hammer toy.
F: No, it isn't.
Me (remembering seeing some very small, unfamiliar pieces when finally "organizing" toy baskets for the first time since Christmas): Is it big or tiny?
F: Tiny.
Awesome.

Luckily, it was found.  The toy measures approximately 1 square centimeter.  I thought at her age whatever pieces were around were okay.  Looks like it's time to get some real organization for some of these toys. 

Friends

The other day I was talking about how bummed I was that time was going so quickly, and I wouldn't have time to do all the crafty things I wanted to do for/with Fiona for Christmas (sorry Evie...you're still too young.  I tried wrapping presents with you today and you just ate wrapping paper and unraveled all my ribbon.)  One of the things I really wanted to do was make an advent calendar.  Today this came in the mail...and I cried...in the best kind of way.  There is no way I can express how much this friendship means to me, and I know too often I take it for granted.

Thanks, Emily.