Tradition

As is our tradition, we had a delicious Puerto Rican meal for dinner on Christmas Eve, which included pasteles (similar to tamales except uses a banana and plantain masa and is supposed to be wrapped in banana leaves, instead of corn husks), pork, rice and gandules, a salad, and flan. Jason was the master chef, as usual for this meal, though I helped with the pasteles and made the salad. Our friends the Peterborgs (we knew them in Delaware, but they now live in Ohio) joined us and brought a perfect flan, which they made. Victoria and Karissa had fun with Ben and Abby again and all helped act out the Nativity.

Victoria was very sweet on Christmas morning. Instead of plowing in at some crazy-early hour, which she is perfectly capable of, she waited until around 7:30 to come in. We knew she was awake since we could hear her whispering, but she waited until she thought it was time to get up. Lucky for us, it is dark until around that time. When she came in she said, "I think it's time to get up now. I think it's light enough and I saw the neighbor outside with the dog." With that sweet wake-up call, I happily got out of bed. Victoria then proceeded to pick out the gift she had bought for Karissa at the school book fair and gave the books to her before Karissa was even downstairs! Those moments were the best gifts of all for me on Christmas! The other best gift is Karissa cuddling with me on my lap and telling me that I'm her best friend, which she does all the time now!

The rest of Christmas was typical: presents, stockings, playing, fighting, breakfast, movie, playing, bath, lunch, playing, gingerbread house (a gift from a friend), home video, turkey dinner, and phone calls all in between. The worst part of the day was that it rained and all the snow was washed away!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Battle

The battle with Victoria lately is getting her to wear clothes fit for temperatures below freezing, especially for temperatures below 10 degrees! She consistently insists on wearing short sleeves and a skirt with no tights. Luckily, I can convince her to wear tights to school most days and she has conceded to wear her big coat now, as opposed to her rain coat or a light sweater, but she will not wear more than one shirt and definitely not long sleeves! And the second we walk inside somewhere, even if it's not home, she will take off her coat right in the doorway. She says she gets too hot, which is hard to believe considering she is just bones, but I do understand, somewhat. Growing up I was always the hot one when everyone else was cold, but I grew up in California! The weather there rarely gets below 50! I'm talking about wind chills below zero! (Actually, the few days this season it was that cold, she did wear a long-sleeved shirt.)

So, yesterday we got the most snow we've had this season, though not really that much, and even though it was warmer than previous days, Victoria put on her coat, with a sweater under it, as well as the rest of the wintry-wear, without a fuss! It's amazing what a little snow can do!

Here's Austin's first visit with Santa. He took one look at him from his lap and started screaming!

Sweets, Treats, and Smiles

Every year since I've had kids I have wanted to make gingerbread houses or trains, but each year I realized they wouldn't be much help and would just be overwhelmed with the activity. I decided this year was the year. On Wednesday after school we had Victoria's carpool buddies and their siblings and mothers over to make graham cracker trains, just to make it a little simpler. It was a huge success! I thought the kids would sit for two seconds eating all the good stuff and be off to play, but they all sat and were great helpers with their trains. Karissa did eat the whole time, but at least she had a good snack beforehand. Victoria started out eating at the beginning until she saw her friends having fun decorating theirs. She ended up being the last kid at the table putting on last minute candies. Next year I'm making the real gingerbread!





Karissa had a special treat at church today. Since she turns 3 two days before the new year she gets to graduate from the nursery to the primary program in church. To get the children acclimated to primary, they brought the ones in who turn 3 in 2009 for singing time. She was so cute sitting there starring at the chorister with her huge eyes, who probably looked like she was ten feet tall to Karissa since she was sitting right below where the chorister was conducting. I could tell she was nervous as she was either wringing her hands or clenching them together under her chin. Her feet barely came halfway to the floor from her little chair, whereas the others from the nursery (all boys), could just about touch the floor with their feet.


Austin has finally started smiling for the camera again, though I've had to crank up the cheesiness a few notches. His sisters smilied so willingly for the camera at his age, I barely had to do anything, but Austin, though he loves smiling and laughing at his sisters all the time, is totally serious as soon as I bring out the "gray box".

Unbelievable!

First if all, I can't believe that Autsin is 6 months! Where did the time go? I took him for his well baby check-up this week and he is 17 1/2 lbs-again, unbelievable! The doctor said he is in the 50th percentile for weight, which seems unbelievable also, but it does make sense. He does have chubby cheeks and is very long (75th percentile this time, so he slowed down in length), which makes him seem gigantic, but I've seen the babies who are in the 50th and up, and they definitely have more chunk than he does. I think all the babies we've been comparing him to are teeny-tiny and/or girls. Actually, the doctor was very impressed with the way his growth chart has been going up in perfect increments. She said she thinks he's perfect, and so do I!

Check out his lil' tuft of hair!

The giraffe is enjoying a snack.

With his sisters, looking cute!

Sticking out his toungue, a favorite new thing to do.