December was filled with lots of fun holiday related activities.
Teddy, Jo and I made gingerbread houses. I had to kick Jo out of the activity when she made it clear she was only there to munch on the decorations. Teddy did the same, but at least he also put some on the gingerbread house.
We decorated the tree. I was really surprised at how into it the kids were. Jo was my gopher, shuttling ornaments from the box to my hands. Often faster than I could actually hang them. Teddy was an ornament-hanging machine! When we ran out of ornaments to hang, he went searching for other items that had hooks that we could hang on the tree. Like his play kitchen pots and pans.
We had our traditional Rouspil family brunch at the Fairmont in San Francisco.
Followed by a trek down the visit Santa at Macy's in Union Square. The past 2 years, Teddy has been too scared of Santa to go it alone, so Brian was forced to sit with him. This year, Jo objected, too, so we both ended up in the picture.
Once we got home, I tried to get some cute pictures of them all dressed up in front of our tree, but they were grumpy, so I gave them cookies. And Teddy wouldn't sit on the chair next to Jo. And I couldn't get them to smile like normal children. Oh well.
I had some ladies and munchkins over for a Christmas cookie decorating party which was lots of fun. I'm pretty sure that's why Jo is wearing this dress below. That was my dress when I was a wee little lass. Teddy spent 10 minutes decorating cookies, 20 minutes cleaning up spilled sprinkles on the kitchen floor with his dustpan and broom and the rest of the party watching TV, but apparently he had a great time because many times in the ensuing weeks he asked me when we could have another cookie party. Go figure.
One weekday just before Christmas, I was getting Jo dressed for daycare on her changing table, when I turned around to address Teddy and she took a nosedive onto the floor. She only cried until I picked her up and then again when we put ice on her smooshed little face. I called the doctor and they declared it a "significant" fall, so I kept her home all day to make sure her brain didn't start seeping out her nostrils.
They did not. She showed no signs of concussion, but rather seemed to thoroughly enjoy her full day of one-on-one time with Mommy. She helped me with some work emails. I even ventured out of the house with her to run errands - luckily no one called CPS on me.
On Christmas Eve, we went to Mass with the Rouspil clan, followed by dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Here are the kids in their Christmas nighties.
We skedaddled home and set up some treats for Santa and his reindeer at our house. Teddy had earmarked all the round cookies from our cookie decorating party as being for Santa, so we took them out of their hiding place. He also decreed that Santa need water and milk (as Teddy often requires after school every day).
On Christmas morning, the whole Rouspil family came over to open presents.
Teddy got this awesome enormous dinosaur; he named him Bobo.
The kids fought over this toy vacuum. Luckily it has an on-board dust buster so they take turns.
Why Brian is vacuuming the living room on Christmas morning, an hour before we fly to San Diego, I can't fathom.
We left all the new goodies behind and trekked to SFO. Christmas is a great day to fly, no crowds.
Here's Teddy making himself comfortable on the tram between terminals.
The Davises were already in San Diego, so much 3-and-under fun was had.
In the tiny pool.
Grandma bit her lip and let Teddy and Jo bang on the piano.
Soccer in the backyard
Smooches for Maisie
A few days in, Nate got a little flu/fever so he was pretty droopy.
But we all got some good snuggles in.
MILK!!!!!
Reading on Grandma and Grandpa's bed with trucks.
Painting in the books from Aunt Katy and Uncle Jerry.
Goofin' on the changing table.
Pre-bed ice cream cones.
And best of all, playing in The Dirt. Where are those silly boys?
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