Packing Up

This is why it takes us so long to get out of the house.

Christmas 09

We keep reminding Sydney of the true meaning of Christmas and there is nothing cuter than a two year old saying "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus" :) She's now recovering from days and days of family time, presents, and more hugs than she can count. Did we ever wear out this little girl. This was a cute picture at the top of stairs Christmas morning while they waited to run down stairs and see Santa Claus presents. Sydney was so excited she couldn't help but give her little cousin Lauren a big hug.

Buried

Sydney really enjoyed getting out in the snow this time. We had trouble finding a hill to sled on but managed to pull her along on a saucer and had a fun time playing with the massive mounds of snow. Our mailbox says it all and I think we can expect delivery to resume in June next year.

Christmas Decorations

I think we got the last decoration up and I risked life and limb to do it so of course I had to post a picture. It's the wreath on the railing over the door and I just tried not to look down while I tied it up there. I'm really looking forward to taking it down in 20 degree weather in January!

Sydney is really taking to the snow as well and we went out and had a snowball fight while Maggie was out of town this week. I'm slowing turning her into a cold weather lover! Here's another shot of her new boots and I think the reason she's content walking in the snow now.

O Christmas Tree! (part 2)

The snow couldn't have been better timed with our annual trip out to the tree farm where we do not in fact cut down a tree but watch the rest of our family do the honors. Sydney was cold but it was beautiful out in the forest of trees with all the snow. Some new boots, care of Poobah, came in handy.

O Christmas Tree!

In good old Christmas tradition, Sydney got dressed up as a princess and we decorated the Christmas tree this week. (ok, that was a first year tradition) Sydney loved it! She actually had the honor of hanging the first ornament...not because we asked her to but because she grabbed an ornament and ran over to tree and asked if she could hang in on the tree. Her favorite ornament was Elmo and she grabbed a big stuffed Elmo doll and brought it over to show Elmo the Elmo ornament. Very cute.

Just like Daddy

Sydney likes to be just like daddy and sometimes it's just too funny. She "put her feet up" the other day and the table is so far away she was basically laying down on the couch and working to hold herself up...but she wouldn't move and I give her credit for holding on as long as she could.

Holiday Time

With a little quiet time around Thanksgiving, I'm finally getting around to some of the pictures we've had stored up for a while, so I'll start to share those. Sydney and family had a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of family in town and now that we've pulled out the Christmas decorations she is very excited about an impending Santa visit. I'm not sure that will translate into any picture with a mall Santa though as the fear runs deep from last Christmas.

Halloween 2009

Sydney really got into Halloween this year and showered us with "trick-or-treat" and "Happy Halloween" the whole night. Her favorite part was handing out candy to other kids and she loved going from door to door exclaiming "More presents!" after each house.

A Fun Night

Natalie and Sydney had a fun evening together this week that includes playing in the "fort", watching a little Diego, and then having a mock sleepover (Natalie had to go home 10 minutes later)

Watch Us Grow

Ok...back on the horse for blog entries. It's been a busy couple months. What a group we had over the other weekend. We're spreading around the country but luckily manage to get together here and there. Baby Gracie is getting big and Sydney talks about her frequently. She had fun putting on a show for this group including her normal set of ABC and Twinkle, Twinkle.

First Day of School

Well not really, but I couldn't help but be swept up in the excitement. All the parents waiting on the corners with their kids and I loading mine into the backseat for the ride to "school". When we got to Sydney's daycare, parents were lined up outside to watch the kids who arrive for early care board the bus that takes them to school and flashes were popping left and right. Sydney said "cheese" as we passed by. Upon entering, our lone signal that some imaginary bar had been hurdled was that she has now moved from page 4 to page 5 on the sign in sheet. What an accomplishment. I think we saw a page 4 kid on the way to our room and Sydney gave him the cold shoulder. I guess the page 5 kids don't associate with the page 4 kids. I have so much to learn.

The Problem...

The problem with taking so many pictures of Sydney is that she now considers herself quite the photographer....which is in turn creating problems getting some nice pictures of that smiling face :)

(and yes...one of these days I'll have the heart to tell her it's backward)

TV Time

We're pretty good about holding out, but sometimes in the late afternoon it's easier to have a happy little one than a screaming tired toddler. So we plopped Sydney and her friend Grayson in front on some Diego and enjoyed a quiet evening. It's cute when they both say "Go Diego Go!".

Hat(s)

Why wear one hat when you can fit three on your head?

Edward Markerhands

Sydney routinely insists that we "go color Daddy", but really she just likes to put the marker tops on her fingers and then laugh hysterically. That is quickly followed by crying when she gets frustrated that she can't do anything with that hand and discovers yet again that the marker tops do not fit on daddy's fingers not matter how hard she pushes.

As an update, I am astonished at how fast birds grow. The holly tree birds that were featherless and fragile are too big to fit in the nest. What will we look at each morning when Sydney's baby birds fly away?

As a photo comment, I don't know if birds have emotion but this one legitimately looked pissed. I stopped taking pictures as it looked like this bird was going to make a run at me.

Birds and the Bees

It's not often I post something that doesn't have a picture of Sydney, but indirectly this has to do with kids and little baby animals which fascinate Sydney. Outside my office window is a holly tree and I've watched the last couple of months as some birds built a sturdy nest, laid some little blue eggs and then recently we got to see them hatch and out popped little tiny birds. Sydney had fun looking at them and wanted to pet them which I assured her would not be ok with mommy bird.

Fruit Picking

Last Sunday we took Sydney out for her first try at picking fruit. I think it was mom and dad's first time as well and we pulled in a good haul of peaches and plums. Sydney like the picking but was more interested in the other activities like the animals and these little tricycle things that are powered by a back and forth motion. Suffice it to say it took my back a couple hours to recover from this thing.

The Blinding Light

Sydney has gotten smart enough to know when I have the flash on and she squints for every picture. So I'll take the flash off and then the pictures are blurry or not filled in. I can't win but I'm happy just to get some shots of her that make me laugh.

Building Forts

A favorite childhood pasttime that Maggie and I remember so well has found its way back to us. Sydney has started finding things she can hide under and it's only a matter of time before we have a panic attack that she's gone missing. Fortunately for us, she hasn't quite mastered the art of hiding in her fort and little signs stick out to point us in the right direction. (and yes, apparently she reads People magazine in her fort)

July 4th Party

After the fun filled parade and a short nap, we had a great afternoon barbeque with friends and all the kids had a great time in the pools and sandbox. Sydney cuddled up with Gabby to watch a movie before the big fireworks show.

Independance Day Parade

Saturday afforded us the opportunity to get Sydney out to a good old all-American small town 4th of July parade, complete with about a dozen people pitching themselves for governor and state office and handing out stickers. Sydney couldn't have been happier and would have looked like a political billboard had we not distracted her with the llama's (which she pronounces "mamas") that followed shortly after.