Holiday Cheer

I finally got the chance to take a look at what was on my camera last night, and there were some adorable pictures of Mr. Q Claus from Christmas Day. Sean wore this suit on his 1st Christmas in 2007. (Yes, that's the same kid in both those links on the same day!) Mack, on the other hand was only 6 months old at his first Christmas, so he had this adorable (yet similar) suit (in another size). This is the last time I'll ever be able to dress up a child for Christmas without getting their opinion. Jamie says that the boys will probably not like me later on in life for these pictures, but I think they are just the cutest in the outfit.

Hope you all are having a great Holiday Season, however it is that you celebrated!

Chrismukah

Santa has come to visit, milk, cookies & carrots for the reindeer have been left out by the fireplace. The kids are going to be super surprised when they wake up tomorrow!

We celebrate both Chanukah & Christmas. I hung some dreidles on our tree. Next year, I plan to knit up some handmade ornaments (I thought about it this year, but ran out of time).

And we’ve been lighting the menorah each night. There are just a few nights left of Chanukah. Things have been busy around here, and while the holidays are fun, I can’t wait until after the holidays, so we can sit back & relax.

If you celebrate Chanukah – HAPPY CHANUKAH! If you celebrate Christmas – MERRY CHRISTMAS! Happy Holidays to all of my wonderful readers. Hope you get spoiled this Christmas! Some of you may have had a tough year in 2011, so let’s be grateful for what we have.

Holidays

Recently, Mackenzie asked us with a pretty please for a Christmas tree. He's been singing Jingle Bells on almost a daily basis as well. So, when I was out, after doing some research on prices, I came across this tree, included with 350 lights, on sale, so I bought it. I haven't had a Christmas tree since Jamie & I lived in an apartment before we got married. We always have a Christmas tree at Jamie's step-sister's house, so we've never put up a tree before. (You see, we are (non practicing) Jews, and we celebrate Christmas - Jamie's entire step-family is not Jewish).

So today, Mackenzie and I (with a little bit of help from Sean), spent a good 2 hours decorating our 6.5 foot tree. I think it looks darn amazing. Now, I just need to find the time to wrap some presents to put under the tree.

Mackenzie made us promise that we would not make a fire (in our fireplace) on Christmas, or Santa Clause will get burned and won't be able to come down our chimney. Oh, to be the age again where you believe in the miracle of Santa Clause. Mackenzie, if you are reading this one day, you made mommy & daddy's heart melt when you said this. You are just too delicious.

Since Christmas Eve is on a Saturday night, there is a good chance that we indeed will have a fire going, so we will have to promise Mackenzie that we will make sure the fire is well put out before midnight, so that Santa Clause can come down the chimney and bring him toys. I guess that means we'll have to leave out cookies for him too? And a glass of milk, of course. He's got to be able to wash down those cookies!

december twenty-five

Xmas morning. Ice.
Even my flag was frozen solid.

Santa came last night and brought Sean something he asked him for. (I put it by his bedroom door, because where else is a Jew supposed to be a gift from Santa for a little boy?) Even though we celebrate Christmas with Jamie's step-family, we don't have a tree in our house. Maybe next year, we'll see. I think celebrating all holidays is a lot of fun.

Sean finally woke up. The kid can sleep in. I think he's going to be one of those teenagers that I'm going to have to dump buckets of water on to get out of bed! I can just see it now!

I was shocked to find him in just his diaper, and he was shocked to see that Santa brought him something and left it at his door. He was not expecting that at all. He did have new clean pj's in his hands, but he was dry when waking up, so I don't know why he wanted to change his pj's. He's been quite obsessed with doing everything himself lately, so he probably wanted to change his pj's to show me that he did them by himself.

At this point, he was like "Santa brought something for me? WHAAAAT?"
(The "what" was the funniest part too...) I actually recorded him re-telling the story and he even repeats how it all happened. I'll try to get that loaded online.
I said back to him "Well, didn't you ask him for something?"
He said "Spiderman blocks"

So he proceeded to open the gift.

And was so happy to get those spiderman blocks that he HAD to build them right there & then.

He was super happy. Mission accomplished.

And Mr. Mack was 100% content with playing with the wrapping paper and box. (Mack received some hard board books this morning, to build up his library) (Though, they do share all books).

Mack, who just turned 18 months is finally in 18 month clothing. He's super tall and super skinny. Always been on the 10th percentile for weight, and 75th for height. While he needs the larger sizes for height, the waist usually falls right down. It's been a challenge keeping him dressed properly. This is an outfit my sister got for Sean (I believe for his first Chanukah back in December 2007), well, it now fits Mackenzie.

We had fun hanging out this morning in the playroom. Mack loves the table & chair set and sits and watches tv in there. It's really cute.

My parents came over for lunch today - leftover Chinese Food from dinner the other night. We had so much leftovers that we needed help eating it! Mack, Sean & my mom were having fun talking on the phone, I had to grab a photo of them!

Sean was actually on the phone with my dad, who was sitting at the table as well. It was funny.

This evening we had Christmas dinner at my in-law's house (Jamie's dad & step-mom). It was a nice dinner, my parents & my brother were also invited. It was a nice dinner, and now we're all stuffed! Sean was super cute in his Santa hat.

I got home just before to this picture in my email. Mack left bunny at my in-laws. It's being held ransom. Luckily I have a back-up bunny (which actually REALLY needs to be washed, as well, somewhere his daycare bunny, which also needs to be washed before he starts at his new daycare on January 4th), so we're safe. See, that's why I have 3 bunnies and 3 of Sean's nunu! I recommend having back ups to any parent!

Hope you had a very merry Christmas! What did you get as gifts? Do share!

december twenty-five

So last night, trying to figure out how to make a Christmas tree and put presents on it (since we're not in Toronto (Mississauga) this year for Christmas with Jamie's dad & step-mom and the rest of his step-family, I had to be creative. We have this Ikea Easel in our playroom, so I pulled out the markers and started drawing. Not the most beautiful thing in the world, but definitely better than nothing. And I piled the presents for my three guys under the tree and went to bed. This morning after we got up, I entertained the boys as long as I could in the bedroom. Sean had his milk, Mack had his "baby juice" (formula), and we watched morning cartoons (like we do on most mornings) and eventually after everyone was fully awake, we headed to the playroom, where Sean discovered there was presents.

Sean had a field day opening gifts.

Mackie wasn't sure what the heck was going on, but he got some great loot from Santa (aka his mom and dad). I didn't go overboard as we already have so many toys in the house, but I felt it was unfair for Mack to just get hand-me-down toys from Sean. He deserves some things of his own, right? (Yes, that's a Monopoly in Jamie's hands. I got him MY NHL Monopoly - which we'll probably play on New Years Eve). Basically you chose 22 of the 30 NHL teams for the board, (we already decided that the Habs will be the last spot on the board (Boardwalk). What is really cool though, is that the team labels are removable and reusable so, if you choose, you can play a different game each time! (Though, the Habs will remain Boardwalk.... of course!) Monopoly is kinda a game we collect. We have serveral versions of the game in our possession. -My NHL Monopoly -Cat in the Hat-opoly -Here and Now World Monopoly (MONTREAL IS BOARDWALK - how could I not get it?) -Habs 100th Anniversary Monopoly (we got it when we went to the game 2-3 weeks ago, it's only available to buy at the Bell Center in the Habs store)(No link available) -Star Wars Monopoly -The .com Monopoly -Wizard of Oz Monopoly -Disney Monopoly -LNH (League Nationale Hockey (french) Monopoly (though the game is bilingual (Montreal Canadiens are Parkway Place and Toronto Maple Leafs is Boardwalk - which will NOT happen in MY NHL Monopoly once we open it. Toronto may not even make the board, and if it does, it's going in the cheapest spot. Rivals!) We don't even have an "original" monopoly. Must get one. So, yesterday I mentioned I got my package from the Single Sock Swap I hosted on Ravelry, from my pal, Bertha. I love love love love everything. Here's my loot: The sock she knit for me, is the Heart Ribbon Lace Socks by Evelyn A. Clark. Gorgeous! The yarn is Hazel Knits Artisan (Etsy Link) in Beach Glass. LOVE IT!

 

I also received in the mail yesterday, 2 pouches from Lillian's Etsy shop. I must not have read what size they were, as they arrived a lot smaller than I thought they'd be - but that's okay. I'll find use for them (knitting notions!/lip gloss and stuff like that for my purse). I totally thought they'd be big enough for a sock knitting project. Whoops. My bad. Regardless, they're gorgeous and I admire Lillian's sewing skills. Tonight I sat on the couch, got way advanced on my Moss Block Cardigan that I'm knitting for Mackie, and am loving how it's coming out. I should definitely be finished this project before 2008 is over. (That's the goal). I still have time! Working a lot on it! I finished one of he front cardigan panels and I'm half way through the 2nd front panel. After that, it's just the sleeves and some picking up of stitches and creating the button band! I can do it! I see the end in sight! While working on the Cardigan, we watched Burn After Reading. Interesting. It's with George Clooney,Frances McDormand,John Malkovich, and Brad Pitt. I don't even know where to begin. If you haven't seen it, you should - for the contraption that George's character is building in his basement. Interesting. I was speechless.

I leave you tonight with this cute picture of Mack. I'm not sure how he finds this comfortable. KIDS! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

december twenty-four

Today we all got a late start to the day. Jamie worked at home in the morning, and I putzed around with the boys. Eventually, I got my act together, left Mack at home sleeping in his crib and took Sean for a few hours to daycare. There weren't many kids at daycare today, but I had a few errands to run, so I decided to drop him off, rather than leave him at home to bug Jamie, who was working from home, then running into the office for about 2 hours once I got back.

I had to go to the post office as I had a missed package slip waiting for me. I also had to mail Sean's thank you cards from his birthday party. The cards are actually post cards that match the invites - how cute. Though, the missed package wasn't there yet. Dang it! Dying to know what it was!

So I went back home and played with Mackie, who just got this Fisher Price Baby Star Stage for Chanukah from my parents. He absolutely LOVES it. He has tried it out before, one of his friends at playgroup owns it.

After playing for a bit, I remembered that I had a santa outfit for Mackie - that he would have worn on Christmas day, providing we'd been in Toronto at Jamie's step-brother's house for the whole Christmas thing. I got this outfit last year right after Christmas on sale, by then, I was about 3-4 months pregnant. I figured if we were having a boy or girl, they both could wear the sleeper (there is a girl version out there with a dress, etc, but the sleeper could work for either sex). So, I did a little photoshoot today, since there was great lighting and peace &





He may shoot me one day for taking these pictures, but gosh darn it - aren't they adorable??!

This thumb in the mouth thing while he sleeps - I hope that doesn't mean the start of thumb sucking. I cannot get him to take the pacifier, he just spits it out - though sometimes I just wish he'd take it. But I thought this picture was too cute.

There has been some knitting today. It's all white and pretty outside. I worked on one of the front sides of the Moss Block Cardigan I'm trying to finish before 2009. (I can do it!)

This afternoon one of Sean's friend's mommy stopped by to drop off Sean's birthday gift. She was supposed to come to the party with her daughter on Sunday, but ended up accidently getting burned with tea on her leg, so Sean's friend Shayna (the only girl invited to his party! He goes to daycare with her - and apparently they are partners in crime at daycare). Her leg is okay, thanks to a doctor friend who prescribed her a cream antibiotic for her leg, but Shayna's grandmother ended up bringing her to his party, with no gift, because of what happened. It was really nice of her to bring over the gift, though, totally not necessary. Anyhow, we ended up standing by my front door for over an hour chatting. Had I know that we'd have spent that long chatting, I would have invited her in for tea/coffee. It was really great chatting with her though, we talked about the daycare, and other things. Her daughter is 2 days younger than Sean. We realized that we had no idea what time it was and that we had to be at the daycare to pick up the kids before 4 pm. It was 3:30. So she dashed to daycare, and I as well.

On my way home, after picking up Sean, I stopped by the post office again to pick up the missed package. This time, it was there. YEY! It was my Single Sock Swap from Bertha who blogs here. I will blog about it tomorrow - when there is enough daylight to photograph it. WOW! Bertha - I love the socks. And the rest of the package is just fabulous. I'll have to show you tomorrow - I love everything Bertha - Thank you again!

This evening we kinda did a "little bit of this & and little bit of that" for dinner... nothing special. Kinda missing out on Christmas dinner if we'd been in Toronto (Mississauga) like we were supposed to be. Drats. Oh well, Mack's health is more important.

Sat on the couch this evening, worked on the Moss Block Cardigan, and watched episodes of Season 1 of The Big Bang Theory. I liked Johnny Galecki back when he was on Roseanne. I also liked Sara Gilbert on Roseanne, and she's been in a few of the epsiodes as well. I'm a huge Chuck Lorre fan, he's the Executive Producer on the show, and I like Two and a Half Men, which he also produced.

Going to now and figure out what to do about a Christmas tree, since I have a lot of presents for all my boys and no tree. (I didn't do anything about it, since usually we are either at Jamie's step-brother's house in Mississauga for Christmas, or at Jamie's step-sister's house not far from us where there is a tree. Every year it's rotated Montreal-Toronto-Montreal-Toronto, and this year it's Toronto. I have some ideas, and I'll just have to be creative.

Merry Christmas!