A Christmas Season in Review

Usually on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, I look through all my old magazines and cutout articles that I may find useful. I love to do that because by the end of the year, all the early editions seem brand new to me, and I get all kinds of inspired. But these days, looking at magazines usually play second fiddle to play time and work time. And quite frankly -- given the drastic change between this New Year's Eve and last New Year's Eve, I'm completely ecstatic about that.

Instead, I'll take a moment to share some of my Christmas pictures with you all. I've been waiting for Rob to upload his pictures but his work schedule has been just crazy, making up for all the time he took during the holidays. So he's working tonight, and Maddie and I are spending the New Year alone together. One of us is sleeping right now. Guess which one. So here are the pictures from my camera:
Maddie's face when she first saw her presents on Christmas morning.
Maddie enjoys her gift from Santa, a jumpy seat!
A horsey ride.
Her first kiss under the mistletoe.
As we all know the best part of presents is the wrapping. So we decorated a Christmas queen.

Hope your Christmas was as joyous as ours and a Happy New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas!

Ypu know this most awesome of old-time commercials?

Well tell me when you think it comes on the TV...

Let the Countdown Begin...

I'm ready Santa. And boy, have I been good.

One tired and hungry girl

Maddie has been slowly out growing her third nap of the day. So I try to keep her awake after 4 pm, and sometimes that means she gets a little bit tired. Like tonight.

Here's Maddie getting her dinner bottle...

Part I

and...

Part II

The Challenge

Wow has it been tough keeping Maddie asleep for her nap today. She fell asleep on my lap and twenty minutes later, the UPS guy arrives. She fell back asleep, and then Rob texts me. She's still asleep now, but there has been lots of startling.

So we put up the Christmas decorations this week (I'll post pictures soon), including the Christmas tree. Maddie got to hang her Great-Grandma Boos' mercury glass ornament, which I then knocked on the floor (hey, you try holding a 6-mo old, posing for a picture and hanging a tiny ornament!) Luckily the ornament is much sturdier than it looks. At the end, I realized I had to go searching for the angel that I vaguely remember my Mom giving me last year. But alas, I cannot find it anywhere. There isn't a single un-unpacked box in this apartment, so I cannot imagine where it is. Mom says she doesn't have it and also apparently gave me my Christmas music box and a glass figurine that are also MIA. I'm wracking my brain trying to think where they might be.

Um, any thoughts?

I'd like to share the significance of this angel though, because I've always loved this story. My Dad was in D'arcangelo's store years ago. Many of you may not have ever even seen D'arcangelo's, but it was very much a Buffalo institution, located on Main St. near Ferry Street. Anyway, some guy stole something from the store and my Dad chased him down. So Mr. D'arcangelo gave my father the angel as a gift. It was one of several ornaments on our tree gotten by my Father's good deeds.

Until it's found, a sad silver pipecleaner snowflake sits atop our tree.

6 Months (Plus!)

Maddie's half birthday was on Sunday -- St. Nicholas Day, nonetheless. Here's a quick demonstration that time really flies when you're having fun.

June 6, 2009

One Month Old

Two Months

Three Months

4 Months

5 Months


Six Months!