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Christmas Day Wrap

So as it turns out, Christmas Day was very busy. Imagine that! I really wanted to have a post marked 12-25-07, but it just didn't happen. So, here's the deal: I'll give a brief summary and embed a slideshow. It's all I can do to get this post in tonight.

Summary

We spent Christmas Eve night at Christie's parents' house and woke up at around 08:00. The gifting was underway by mid morning with highlights like Willa's Jumperoo stealing a lot of our attention. A good time was had by all with a few surprises (if anyone needs a carpet steam cleaned, just talk to Christie's mom!). Willa's Christmas Day outfit was a hit. One year ago I wouldn't have dreamed of dressing the baby like a mini Santa Clause, but somehow it just seemed so right when we bought the outfit from the clearance rack in Burlington Coat Factory. I mean, how can you say no to "$11.99 - Original Price $19.99" That's like, $8 dollars we saved!!

Anyway, we had our afternoon at my mom and step-dad's house (you'll see some of those photos in the slideshow as well. Watch out for Bonnie) and had a proper mahem like time. This might have been the most exhausting (but most fun) Christmas I've had in a long time and the cliche perhaps is true in that it's more enjoyable with a child of your own. Willa is extrasuper cute even without the Baby Santa outfit... but with it, she is deadly. We love her so much.

Merry Chistmas and Happy New Year

Christmas Eve!

We started the day with our own little celebration. Christie and I always open our gifts on the morning of Christmas Eve Day. Willa mostly enjoyed ripping the paper, but eventually realized there was a new toy for her in the mess!

Some new balls!!!

Our plans then took us to Christie's grandparents' house where Willa sported her fancy black dress to pose in pictures with her Great Grandparents Pat and George.

After a few hours over there, we returned to Christie's parents' house for more celebrations - and of course, photos!





After sitting through more than 2000+ photos in various poses, Willa had soaked her dress with drool and it was time to prepare for bedtime. Her Christmas Eve romper with matching skull cap made everyone laugh!

Things are looking better

This is Christie posting, I was just too lazy to sign out of Markus' account...Willa seems to be returning to normal. We only have coughing spells in the mornings, she's napping again, and her nose isn't quite as runny (though we still have tissues strategically placed all over the house!). As proof that life is returning to normal, we have some pictures. It's been a while, I know. I'm also making up for lost time - when I imported the pictures from our camera, I saw that we had a few weeks' worth of photos. Enjoy the slideshows!

Pictures of Willa on Saturday, December 8. We were doing her favorite - Dancey, Dancey, Dancey. If you're curious, we can show you in person if we see you...



December 9 - Willa finally has enough (but BARELY enough) hair to wear the bows she was given back in the hospital! Yay!


December 10 - Playing on the bed, looking festive in a Christmas outfit (No Mom, I still don't make the bed every day. Now you just can't yell at me for it!)


And then there were no pictures, because who wants to see a sick baby? And what sick baby is agreeable enough for pictures?

Then, last night Willa was so cheerful after a day full of naps! Hooray!

One more thing...

How about the weather these past few days??!??!

Feeling tired

I have no music update to offer this Sunday. Here's the deal: Willa's been under the weather for about 5 days and this was one of the most exhausting weekends we've had so far (over 7 months). I think she's feeling better and the fingers are crossed for a more restful night tonight. I guess this is what parenting is all about, right? Attn grandparents, don't worry. We do have a ped appointment for tomorrow at 09:00 to be extraspecialcertainly sure that it's not infectious etc.

We'll do a proper update this week. I promise.

The Sunday Music Post

So, here's my pick for this week... Nothing else is really talking to me and I think this guy deserves to be recognized. Josh Wink with Higher State of Conciousness. It's sitting at 13 (dropped back from 6 a week ago) on the BBC Radio 1 Dance chart. What you probably do not know is that he is a Philadelphia native! Give it up for...



OK, WAIT! I have two picks this week. Lily Allen covers Kaiser Chiefs' "Oh My God" and it's a wicked collaboration with Mark Ronson - NYC CelebriDJ. For some reason Mark doesn't want anyone to embed this youtube vidio so you're just going to have to click a link to view it. It's worth it and honestly out of the two songs you will like this more (unless you like Josh Wink and/or house/trance/techno).

LINK

Mini Milestone

On the weeks when Christie travels, I don't often have much time to think about blogging. Today is no exception. However, I do feel the urge to share about a recent mini-milestone. For the last few weeks Willa has been more aggressively been putting things in her mouth and sucking or chewing on them. This includes her pacifier. However, up until a few days ago, her movements lacked precision. Although she's not perfect now, I have observed her reorient her pacifier so she is sucking on the nipple - instead of the handle or the edge... This is exciting for someone who has watched her struggle to figure out how to fit various items into her mouth in the most illogical ways. Progress comes in increments.

Seeing Red

If you checked the blog yesterday, you read about our trip to Oley and probably wondered how everything went. Well, the proof is often in the pictures, and based on this small sample set we can conclude Willa enjoyed the 10,000 Pointsettias. It certainly provided the appropriate backdrop (if not coincidentally color coordinated) to photgraph our little girl in her new hat and mittens. Also, if you wonder why she's not wearing a coat, it's because we're in a GREENHOUSE. Yes, I was about to die of heat stroke since I had noplace to stash my coat.

Anyway, enjoy!

A few of Glick's 10000 Poinsettias

Ride the shoulder and you will get caught

So we're driving on 76 and traffic comes to a dead stop. KYW tells us it's because the road goes down to one lane for tree trimming. This guy decides he wants to exit in Manayunk but he doesn't want to sit in line and wait until he reaches the exit so he decides to ride the shoulder - he'll get there faster.

What he doesn't realize is that police have been stationed at each exit to ticket just this kind of driver. So our impatient friend rides the shoulder until he finds himself blocked by a police car on the shoulder and most likely, extremely unsympathetic drivers to his left. By the time we reached the exit, our friend was pulling ahead of the police to receive his ticket in proper fashion. He just had to wait until the other car that was being ticketed pulled away. Our friend really saved time by riding the shoulder, didn't he?

And now his Christmas shopping money has been drastically reduced since he'll have to pay a pricey PA fine!