Christmas in PA

 We drove from Westford to Glenside the day after Christmas, which turned into an 11 hour adventure due to a snow/rainstorm, but the kids did well and the car time did give us some quiet time.  We had a really great few days in Philly with the whole family, and were also able to see some friends.

  Please Touch Museum with Katie & Luci

  Snow on our belated Christmas!
(We were 3 for 3 this year for snow on Christmas:)

the whole family

Christmas in MA

We spent a few days around Christmas at my parents house.  Tiring, but wonderful.  Emily & Rosalie play so intensely and constantly that they just completely exhaust themselves.  The first night we tried out the "Festival of Lights" at our local ski area, which was fantastic!  There was a wagon ride through woods and fields decorated with lights (sort of what you'd see in someone's front yard, but lots of them, and large) as well as little scenes.  There was also a carnival set up with kids rides and games.  It was well done, with lots of outdoor heaters to warm up by, and even fire pits where you could roast s'mores.  All the kids loved it.

Mike & I and my parents took the older girls to the Christmas Eve service at the church I grew up in, which was lovely and included a time for the kids to go up front and hear a story.  We saw some friends we hadn't seen in years - we always wish there was more time to catch up!

 Twas the night before Christmas...

 Christmas Day we stayed home, and Grammy T, Cindy & Grant and Becky & Brian all came for lunch and the afternoon.  :)  The big girls really enjoyed their gifts (especially the doctor dress up clothes!), and kept trying to run off and play before we were done opening gifts.  They are at such a fun age of delighting in whatever surprise they open, with no expectations.  We had a dusting of snow, just barely enough to play in.

Left alone in her high chair, Adara managed to pull the box of cookies onto her tray.  She had pulled the top off and was happily munching when we found her!

GG reading Emily a night night story.

Christmas at Home

Since we would be travelling for the holidays, we did a little family Christmas a few days early.  We'd made each girl a cardboard house (we'll decorate them at some point), Adara got a homemade book of family pictures and Emily got a sleeping bag.  The next day Emily was an angel in the the church Christmas "pageant."  We also did the advent reading, which was not our finest moment!  Adara yelled "no! no! no! as we walked up, and then promptly squirmed out of my arms and stomped away (thankfully a friend grabbed her for me), and then Alasdair let Emily 'help' light the candles, which took forever.  So much for a cute family moment!

Emily's First Haircut

I took Emily to get her first real haircut last week.  She loved it, although not as much as she loved the popcorn we got afterwards.  :)

Christmas

Our tree is up and Emily is loving the Advent calendar.  Alasdair randomly dressed the girls in Christmas outfits one day last week.  All day people were asking me if we were getting pictures taken... so I attempted a few on my phone... right before nap time, while Adara needed her diaper changed.  Not the best quality, but so it goes.

Things We Are Into

It's been awhile since I did one of these!    Actually, the last one I can find is from two years ago.  (Eek, this makes me so nostalgic.)

Emily

Her "USA" outfit.  This came in a box of hand me downs from our good friends.  Emily wore it to gymnastics  once and her teacher commented on it... so of course she's worn it every Friday since.  (It's now a running joke at gymnastics.)  This week, she's tried to wear it every day, and hates having it covered up by a sweatshirt... so she is always cold.  I wasn't in the mood for a fight, so she wore it under her church clothes on Sunday.  I've snuck it away to the laundry pile today!  (Alasdair & I agree that this might be the best picture of her ever taken.  That she spontaneously made the 'not impressed' face makes it even better.)

Writing.  She's just taken an interest in drawing letters.  I found her here writing a note to Uncle Alden on my grocery list.  She's always asking me for a pen.  Setting up scenes with all of her stuff animals. Often lately they are all in school and she is the teacher, or they are all her 'kids' and she is reading them a story, or they are all having a picnic.  Watching PBS kids on the iPad.  Watching out for her sister.  When she's not knocking Adara over or taking her toys, she's very concerned for her safety.  While playing on the couch the other day, Adara kept leaning over the arm and Emily would grab her shirt and tell her not to fall.  I told her to stop yanking on Adara, that she was fine... and Adara promptly fell on her head.  Later, I was letting Adara wander around while we watched Alasdair tie the Christmas tree to the roof of the car, and Emily was very nervous, kept asking me to pick Adara up because we were near the parking lot.

Adara
EVERYTHING.  She constantly has her arm extended, grunting and grabbing at anything she isn't allowed to touch.  If she doesn't pull down the Christmas tree, it will be a minor miracle.  Walking.  She really doesn't crawl anymore, and she's moving fast!  Today I was focused on Emily for a minute while I put the recycling in the car, and I looked up to find Adara had followed the cat down the driveway and across the street. (Minor panic!  I guess it's a good thing Emily watches out for her.)  Climbing. We now have a little stool by the front window and she's delighted to be able to look out.  Books.  She's constantly bringing me  "Baby Bear Baby Bear" or"Polar Bear Polar Bear" (from the 'What do you see?' series).  She loves to drink out of my cup.  She wants constant attention and activity.  Loves to go to bed (throws her bunny into the crib and then lunges out of my arms).  Her sister.  She adores Emily ("Umi").  At bedtime, she will say night night to all of us, but will lean past mommy or daddy to give Emily kisses (despite the fact that Emily rejects them 50% of the time).  

Thanksgiving

We had a happy and busy Thanksgiving in Westford!  Lots of family & cousin time, a soccer game from which I am still sore, and many walks around Grassy Pond.  As usual, I didn't take any pictures and have to get them from other people.  Also as usual, there are only pictures of the kids, and mostly the younger ones as Emily & Rosalie were off on their own most of the time.  :)  

Syndey * Daniel * Rosalie * Emily *Adara

The evening after Thanksgiving, when the house was full of my cousins (so happy!!), Emily sidled over to me and said, "It's too crowded in here" while Adara toddled around in her turkey dress (that I swear Rosalie was wearing just yesterday! Was this really 2 years ago?) grabbing on to everyone's legs and happy for the attention.  Adara was especially happy to play with Syndey, and pat her (see photo above), and she loved "meeting" her newest 2nd cousin, Maggie, via Skype... she laughed and poked at the screen until we dragged her away.

Addendum: I just found these photos on Alasdair's phone.  We stopped to visit his Aunt Abby, Uncle Paul and cousin Cathy on our way to MA, and they thoughtfully set out the perfect toys & snacks for the girls.  Emily warmed right up to "Granny's sister".