skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I love this time of year!!! The boys wake up every morning and look for our 'Elf on the Shelf' named Callileo. He has been watching over our home since Thanksgiving, in a different spot everyday. I often find Sam talking to him-"Callileo, please tell Santa that I ate my whole breakfast and used my manners." Noah simply stares up at him and says- "No touchy, touchy." Both boys write notes or pictures for Santa and use Callileo as their currier. Santa has been writing LOTS of thank you notes. And of course Sam had to ask Santa for a picture of all of his artwork in his workshop. Thank God for Adobe Photo Shop!!!!
This morning Noah was playing with play-doh and came out to show me his homemade snake. I noticed that he had some orange around his mouth and reminded him that play-doh is not to eat, but to play with. "But daddy said" was his response. I quickly stated that daddy did not tell him it was ok to eat play-doh. "But, Santa said, mommy".
Isn't it interesting how quickly they pick up your tricks!!! "Noah, Santa is watching"-right back at me!!! Too funny...
The first snow!!!! Noah was asking for his snowsuit before he was out of his jammies. These beautiful snow persons were his very own creations. The wonder of snow and winter and Frosty in a child is something to behold. This little boy was convinced that once Frosty had a head he would begin talking. Imagine his dismay when both heads were affixed and not one "Happy Birthday" was uttered. And unfortunately, it began to rain only a few inches into our 'storm of 2007', so the snow time was limited. Sam, Noah and I later went out to shovel slush and watch Frosty's nose, eyes and buttons slide to the wet grass below. What amazed me about Noah was the love and effort with which he created these two magical creatures and the glee he experienced watching them dissolve.
Sam on the other hand was very busy making waterways in the piles of snow. He figured out that he could make the water go anywhere he wanted it to by making paths in the snow with his fingers. He was giddy with the sense of power he derived from completely controlling nature. A Roman in the making?? Once the aqueducts were completed, it was on to snow angels and wet rear ends. One minute a budding architect, the next a silly, giggling baby angel. That child is such a trip!!!
And here is the proof, for any doubters, that the tree has been purchased and is standing in our living room. Any bets on how long it stays naked? It is a very fat, happy tree in a not-so-big stand. Very much like me in heels, it is teetering on the edge of keeling over on the first person who comes to close. It could literally swallow Noah whole.
Fat Christmas trees with little white lights, Billy Holiday singing on cold winter nights, eggnog and hot cocoa after snowball flings, these are a few of my favorite things!!!
And so it begins.... Dec. first and we are already starting Christmas burnout. We got up bright and early to bunny bunny and then brunch with Santa. We were served a yummy breakfast by some adorable elves, then got to hug and play with Frosty and Rudolph and the Mystery Christmas Mouse??!! The boys were absolutely thrilled that they could then decorate gingerbread cookies (yes, at 9am) with as much icing and sprinkles as they could fit. Noah ended up with more icing on his backside than in his tummy (a truly impressive feat!!). Both boys sat with Santa and had a lovely chat.
We then went to get a tree with some friends (yes, it is true...Peter Foss purchased a tree on December 1st-Christmas miracle #1). It was a wonderful farm with a buffalo and some llamas and beautiful trees. Unfortunately it was about 12 degrees, so we picked the first fat tree we saw and off we went. We had lunch with lots of hot cocoa at home and then Sam and I traipsed off to an outdoor birthday party at a local farm (may I remind you it was FREEZING outside). The party ended after 2 cool hours and we rushed home to meet friends for dinner and an excursion to the North Pole on the Polar Express.
Caroling, story reading, hot cocoa, brownies, Santa and a little bit of Christmas Magic sums up our evening on the train!!! I guess it is silly, but that wonderful story always makes me teary. Sam has already figured out that not all of the Santas he sees are real (he has helpers!!). I often wonder how are we going to preserve the magic for these little boys and keep the bell ringing for as long as possible?
Peter is off to NY for a few days and I am sitting here looking at our beautiful, FAT, tree in its stand waiting to be adorned by many glorious homemade trinkets (yes, again it is true, the tree is in the stand, IN THE HOUSE-Christmas miracle #2). And although it has been a crazy day, I am feeling thankful. Thankful for the opportunity for my boys to get swept up in the magic of Christmas twice in one day. Thankful for such wonderful friends. Thankful for a man who braved frigid weather to haul an enormous tree home and thankful for the wonderful smell of that tree throughout the house. The smell of Christmas and a big glass of wine, make me think I could do it all over again tomorrow....
Well, here goes...
After seeing a friends blog that has some of the most beautiful, eloquent pictures and thoughts on it - I thought that this might be a wonderful way to avoid the annoyance of Shutterfly and be able to communicate all of the joys and frustrations that we come upon daily here in Essex. So I will start with a quick family update:
Noah is 28 months going on 12yrs. He is talking up a storm; often relaying his innermost feelings about Dora or reporting the time of day and current weather ("It is dark and nappy time for the horses, mommy"). He is 100% in "Noah do it by self" mode and insists of opening and shutting ALL doors everywhere we go. This little boy is nothing but sweetness, love and a gleefully devilish giggle (well, sometimes nothing but teeth when he is being loved roughly by a Sam). Dora and snuggles, anything blue and play doh, puppies and puddles, thats what this little boy is made of. Not 5 minutes goes by from the minute I wake up that I am not getting a hug or kiss or "I love you mommy" and he is just as freely loving with his daddy and big brother. He is my sunshine.
Sam is "four and three quarters" and itching to be a fully mature independent 5 year old. He is such an inquisitive little scientist. Everyday we get questions such as "Are God and Godzilla the same?" and "If I put tissue in the telephone jack on the wall what will happen?" (needless to say he needed to see that one for himself and we were without a phone line for 4 days). Superheroes and swords, duct tape and indelible pens, two wheel bikes and gator rides, thats what this little boy is made of. Right now he is struggling with his place in the world and is often my reason for a glass of wine at the end of the day, but he never ceases to fill my heart with a sweet, sweet hug or a wonderful comment on the state of his mind ("When I grow up, I am going to live in my own house, but it will be right next to yours and I will visit everyday with pets"). He is my compass.
Peter is just getting back into tennis and is quite sore, but loving every minute. As every hard working father does, I imagine, he is struggling to balance bringing home the bacon and bringing up the boys. He dreams daily of retiring early and playing with Sam and Noah all day (after 18 holes of course!!). Work is stressful, but since home is bliss, it really evens out, right!!!?? We got away together for the first time since before Sam was born in October and I think it was the first time I had seen him truly relax in quite some time. It was heaven, just the two of us! He has a heart of gold and is the most loving father I know. He is my comfort.
As for me, I am slowly figuring out this life thing; trying to be a good mother, partner, daughter, friend and sister. On a daily basis I am transfixed by the beauty and constant wonderment of my two little boys. And I am often humbled by the love and patience of Peter. Trying to balance being a full time mom, retaining some level of intelligence and mental stability and getting the holiday shopping completed :) Hoping that this new little blog will open up a few more lines of communication with the people we care about....
