The Series: Why Did He Spit Up On Me????

The photos say it all. 

New Year's Day

Okay, so it's a little late to be posting about the new year.  We actually went to a New Year's Eve EVE party at Nate's house this year.  He hired babysitters so the kids were busy and entertained while the adults enjoyed adult conversations and beverages.   We spent New Year's Eve eating popcorn, sipping hot cocoa, and playing games with Gabriela - you know, like Go Fish and Old Maid and Zingo!

The next day, after Lane made us pancakes and smoothies, we decided at the last minute to hop in the car to San Francisco to go to the Academy of Sciences.  We were afraid it was going to be crowded, but we had found parking right away and enjoyed our day together. 

Gabriela was especially excited.  The other day she asked me, "Mom, what's the name of that one building?  It's white and it has walls?"  Finally, after asking her who we went there with, what did we see, please give me some other detail, anything... she told me, "you know, it has a rainforest!"  Of course, the Academy of Sciences.

First, we watched a little trivia show while Easton nursed. Gabriela went up on stage to answer a trivia question. I was so proud - she was on stage!! and answering trivia!!!  

It's official: This is my daughter, people!

 Just look at her concentration as the question was read to her.  It was a true/false question about whether or not ginger comes from the ginger root grown in Indonesia.  She answered true, very seriously and she was right!

 Here are all the kids who answered questions. Notice Gabriela is the only one bowing.  All the other kids did theirs a while ago. Gabriela observed and then did hers when she thought the time was right. 

 Gabriela giving some love to Claude, the albino alligator. 

 Then she rushed to the rainforest.  C'mon guys!!!  She really wanted to see this little froggy. 

 Gabriela and her Daddy after checking out the giant anaconda in the swamp.

She loves the touching pool.  Gabriela got to touch this starfish.  See its little tentacles feeling around? It was on the move!

 We arrived at the aquarium just in time to see these guys give a cleaning to the glass, talk about the giant tank, and observe a feeding.

 Here's Claude, the real deal.

 Gabriela and I went to the kids area to play while Daddy checked out the penguins.  It was then that we realized we didn't have her beloved Hello Kitty bag anymore.  We retraced our steps, asked around, and then Gabriela realized it was gone.  Thank goodness someone turned it in to the lost and found and she got it back.  Otherwise, our day might not have ended on a good note.

 We also saw a show all about snow and how it forms inside a giant tent of a snowman. Gabriela was very impressed.

We had a great time at the Academy of Sciences.  Gabriela and I have been 5 times in the last year, but only once with Daddy. What a fun-filled way to start the new year.

Easton is 2 months (and one day) old

I can't believe how quickly time is going by.  Easton is such a darling little guy! Right when he was 4 weeks old, he was making little cooing sounds. The next week, he was totally grinning, he snuck in a few laughs the following week, and has just been giggling and smiling all the time since then.  Easton gives most of his giggles on the changing table where we have many conversations and where his mama can be found making all sorts of goofy noises trying to start the giggle fest.

Easton still detests having clothes put on him...ooooh, he gets mad!  We are also hit and miss with car seat torture, although he is definitely doing better.  Gabriela talks to him and, on some trips, he just gazes at his big sister, smiling back at her.  She gets super excited and asks if I saw the smile too. But other trips have been regular scream sessions.

Easton still really likes to be held, but also will hang out now in his bouncer for a while.  Thank goodness Heather brought us over a swing.  Easton loves it!  He will even sleep in it, which has afforded me the opportunity to take normal length showers again.  Our co-sleeper isn't being used for much other than a nightstand these days. Easton is sleeping right in the bed and goes straight to sleep after a little nursing at bedtime.  I nurse him during the night, and he just starts fidgeting when he's ready to eat, so we are all resting well at night. for now. phew.

He really has good control of his head, really likes to put weight on his feet, and seem to have recently discovered his hands.

It's been a busy month for Easton.  He had his first Christmas, attended a New Year's Eve EVE party, had his first trip to the Academy of Sciences, and his first Friendsgiving Dinner/Partay.

Gabriela - in the mind of a 3 year old

As we were driving by Thompson Avenue the other day, Gabriela announced that we were passing Christmas Tree Lane.  How does she know this?!?  This little lady is ultra aware of her surroundings.

The other day, I asked her to be considerate. Without skipping a beat, she informed me that the word 'considerate' is in the book Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.  It sure is.

On the way to Fairyland (as we were passing a lake with a nice walking path around it), Gabriela said, "Mom, when you exercise you hold your phone and put little ear plug things inside your ears and wear shorts". Quite the little observer, although she certainly didn't observe ME doing that.

But this last one just completely blows my mind.  We talk about daycare every once in a while, but mostly just that Mommy used to work, and she met her friend Keady at daycare.  Well, out of nowhere, Gabriela told Lane and me, "Remember when I used to go to daycare and they would put us all in white highchairs and give us bowls of cheerios to eat?"  What the heck, people?!?!?  She was 22 months old when I took her out of daycare.  Now she is 3.5.. that's 42 months old!!!  

She never ceases to amaze me, that one.

Merry Christmas, everybody!  See Jovie (our elf) hiding in the Christmas tree?

 On Christmas morning, Gabriela woke up and asked if it was Christmas Eve still.  We told her it was Christmas morning, but she insisted it was still Christmas Eve, so I told her to go to sleep so Santa could come. 

I never knew how exciting it would be to be a parent on Christmas morning! I kept waking up and wondering when Gabriela would wake up so we could start our morning fun.

Here's our tree, right after Santa left.

 Gabriela so excited for Christmas fun!

 Yes!  Hello Kitty undies in her stocking!!  Now she can be just like Captain Hook! (her Build-a-Bear)

 Checking out her stocking loot!  She got new toothpaste, socks, undies, big-sister gum, gummy life savers, Christmas pencils, stickers, a Hello Kitty note pad, fruit twists, m&ms, and 3x 5 index cards cos she LOVES drawing tiny pictures on them.

Easton was very happy with some of his gifts. He got super cool socks from Mommy's friend, Katie.

 And this adorable bear, hand knit by Auntie Adie.  Gabriela got one like this for her first Valentine's day.  The funny thing is that we had no idea Adrienne made Easton a bear and right in the middle of gift opening (before we discovered this cutie bear), Gabriela went and got hers to play with.  Now the teddy bears have each other.

 This was, by far, the biggest hit!  Hello Kitty sparkly chapstick (or lipstick if you ask Gabriela). She opened it and squealed!  She put her arms up in the sky and cheered victoriously! And then she said, "He knowed!!!  Santa knowed even though I didn't tell him!" Phew, thank goodness we wrote him that letter. 

Overall, this was Easton's reaction to his first Christmas:

 He woke up later that night though and enjoyed some time looking up at the Christmas tree.

Overall, we had a very sweet and calm Christmas at home.  Gabriela got to pause from gift opening to play with her presents, there was no rush, and I stayed in my jammies all day.  We watched G's new movie, Matilda (of course, we had already read the book), played with gifts, and started reading a new book, Alice in Wonderland. I cooked a gigantic ham, brussells sprouts and sweet potatoes for a simple, yet delicious Christmas dinner.

Christmas Eve

I was really nervous about driving down to Hollister for Christmas Eve since Easton is not a fan of the car seat at all.  I mean, big time.  He considers it a form of torture and cannot handle even a 5 minute trip to the grocery store unless it is magically timed for when he is totally full of milk and super sleepy. 

Despite my fears, we decided to make the trip and stop for a visit in Gilroy on the way.  We drove about 5 miles before stopping because of poor baby Easton.  We made several help-the-baby-stop-crying stops along the way, but we made it!!

Gabriela had some good visit time with Grandma Janice

Grandma got some snuggles with Easton.  

(check our our awesome new burp cloths from some DC friends of ours)

 Easton was having fun with Grandpa and flashed him some sweet smiles.

 Cousins!  Easton and Nolan had a sleepy photo shoot in their cutesie Christmas outfits.  Can you believe they are only one month (and four days) apart?  This was the best shot of the boys, despite Nolan's hand gestures :)  Whoopsies.

 Easton was a champ on the 20 minute drive from Gilroy to Hollister and didn't cry once!  Yay!!  We got to my brother Tim's house to help make tamales and found that they were all on the stove already.  I love a good tamale making session, but I'm not about to complain if I just get to partake in the tamale eating fun.

Caeti is still in love with Easton and wanted to hold him, put his hat on for him, and remind other people to be quiet because the baby was sleeping. 

 The (big) cousins in front of the tree before the present opening madness started.

 My baby girl, who is clearly not a baby anymore.  How did I get such a big girl?!??! 

Andrew loved his Woody dress-up gear from Nana!  Look at those excited eyes!

Gabriela got the cutest Snow White dress up outfit handmade by Auntie Kristie!  She loves it. It's a giant tutu, and we had some trouble convincing her that they weren't pajamas.

After the family fun, we left with a stash of tamales and presents, bellies full and happy family time completed.  Gabriela AND Easton slept the whole drive home.  phew.  Merry Christmas to us!!

Gabriela had some trouble falling back to sleep once we got home, but she finally did before Santa came.

Christmas Tree Lane

A few blocks away from us is Alameda's Christmas Tree Lane. It's an entire block full of Christmas cheer.  All the houses on the block are decorated, and apparently this is a tradition that's been going on since 1938! It's recommended that you walk up and down the block to enjoy the decorations in all their splendor.  Now, we totally could have walked there, but we drove - I was nervous about how cold it would be with a baby and whether or not Gabriela would fuss about the walk.  

When Gabriela woke up from her nap on Saturday, the first thing she said was, "I'm so excited to look for decorations and drink hot cocoa and eat candy canes and listen to Christmas music!"  

It's official people, this is my child. 

Here she is all ready to look for decorations - candy cane in one hand, hot cocoa in the other! 

 

 We went with Heather, Serkan, and Rowan.  See Rowan with his elf hat? I tried convincing Gabriela to wear her elf hat, but she wanted the purple one that matched her jacket instead.

 Imagine Gabriela's excitement when she saw Walter, Kermit the Frog and (not pictured) Miss Piggy decorating a tree!!  

 The elf workshop

 Santa and Mrs. Claus

And to give you a little size perspective, Gabriela and Mrs. Claus

There is something about the holidays with kids that makes them one bajillion times more magical. There is nothing quite like hearing them squeal with excitement at the decorations.  

 While we were there, the famous Dancing Christmas Trees danced up and down the street.  Gabriela asked how the trees could dance, and gave a knowing, "OHHH!!!" after I explained that they were people wearing costumes.  She also asked if they were careful while they danced in the street.  Oh yes, very careful. I was sure to point out the people stopping traffic for the trees so she didn't get any ideas about dancing in the streets herself. 

 

People were selling baked goods and hot cocoa, there was a brass band at one house playing carols, elves were passing out candy canes, and this car (??) drove by while we were there too!

 And every night Santa is at Christmas Tree Lane. Gabriela was so excited to see him and happily climbed into his lap, but in the big moment froze and didn't actually tell Santa what she wanted. She thought about telling him.

    Smiling with Santa

Of course, after we were done waiting in line and had finished our visit with Santa, Gabriela announced that she was finally ready to tell Santa what she wanted.  I reminded her that we had written him a letter, so he would get it and know what she wanted.  Did you know Christmas Tree Lane has a special Santa Mailbox???  Santa even writes back.  That is, as long as you deliver your letter by Dec 18th. Maybe the elves will take pity on us and write back even though we delivered ours on the 19th. Whoops. 

We had a great time. In fact, Gabriela, Easton and I walked to Christmas Tree Lane on Monday night and walked up and down the street before Daddy came home from work. It's so pretty and festive, we just might take another walk or two down Christmas Tree Lane before the end of the week.