In my defense, I do have a good reason...and so I present to you Exhibit A:
Yes folks, that is the image of a tiny fetus that (no longer so tiny) has taken up residence in my body. So you can be upset with me for not posting since Halloween or you can think to yourself...holy smokes, in what little spare time this poor working mother has, she has decided to go out and grow herself another tiny human! Call us crazy, but it was time to add to the brood.
So we are trying to enjoy the last two months of the calm before the storm...sleeping through the night most nights, enjoying family outings, playing in the snow, quiet evenings by the fire, dinner together. You know...all the things that you take for granted until you have an infant and have to pack for a week in order to simply make a trip to the grocery store.
I haven't been entirely neglectful of documenting our lives these last few months though and so I offer you quite possibly the longest photo-montage blog post to capture life on Snow Pond Road since Halloween! Enjoy!
Playing at Mimi and Pa's house with Belle and Wilder
Picking out the Christmas Tree!
We were so excited to have our first Christmas in our new house this year that we went to get our tree on Thanksgiving weekend. It was COLD! And guess who we ran into when we were picking out our tree? None other than the Jones-Riley-Hall family!
Decorating the Tree
It was quite a festive afternoon decorating the tree. As soon as we got the tree in the house we started to see big, beautiful flakes out the window - the first snow of the season. We made a fire, Brody threw on some antlers, we put on a little bing Crosby, and went to town. It was a perfect evening!
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care!!
Tucker didn't help decorate, but he enjoyed snuggling on the couch by the fire.
And then he staked his claim under the tree.
Even though there wasn't much snow, Brody was so excited to go out and play in it. He wanted to make a snow angel so badly...it's more like a dirt angel, but he had a blast.
And then is was time to snuggle by the fire and gaze at the Christmas tree!
Holiday Baking!
So after years of trying to get Brody to cook with me in the kitchen, he is finally excited to roll up his sleeves, get his hands a little dirty and bake some delicious treats. We made lots of breads and pies over the holidays. He was a big help!
Christmas with the Joneses (Desmaraises)
As any modern family knows. Christmas is not the calm, relaxing stay-at-home holiday Nat King Cole sings about. There is no time to roast chestnuts on a open fire. The nights are not silent. I don't know anyone who gets to settle down for a long winter's nap or has their children tucked in their beds with visions of sugar plums...they are running around with a sugar high, way passed their bedtimes, while you catch-up, speed-dating style with all the relatives that you haven't seen since last Christmas. Maybe someday when all of our children are grown up and we're not so worried about nap times and bedtimes, equal distribution of gifts, and getting home in time to leave cookies out for Santa, we'll have time to sit and REALLY enjoy the holidays without all the hustle and bustle. Until then, I will be grateful for the little time I have to see everyone - however rushed, and for the baked goods (did you guys remember I'm pregnant?)
A few pictures from Christmas Eve morning with the Joneses.
Crazy-faced Wilder
A less enthusiastic crazy-faced Brody
Silly reindeer boys!
Bella and the super-heros
So excited about presents!
Pa cooking breakfast
Mimi helping Wilder into his batman ski mask
Bella and some Disney sensation singing person she was SO excited about
(good thing we're having another boy huh?!)
Wilder and his Clone Wars helmet - all I could think of was the movie Space Balls when he put it on. His head was so big and his body so small! HILARIOUS!
Yes, I realize it is still dark out. That is because 1.) it's winter in New England and it's dark for most hours of the day and night and 2.) our son is a freak of nature early bird and it up before 6am most mornings!
Ryan and I struggled to put this castle together the night before. Even though it came in about 8 pieces in a box with no instructions, we were still frustrated that we were more challenged putting together a cardboard castle than we were building our house!
Christmas with the McCarthy Family
The morning after Christmas we headed to Milford to celebrate with the McCarthy Family. You'll notive by Brody's forced smile in this picture that he was tired of posing with his gifts - he wanted to open them already! Geez mom!
Auntie Ev and Meghan
Pat & Ev
Sharks and whales - now that's a genuine smile!
An attempt at a family picture - we all look great huh!? Someday, I'll actually hire someone to take a decent picture of the family!
Mike and Meghan - I'm not sure who looks like they need a nap more!
And here are some closing shots of my boys playing in the snow. This is the first winter that Brody really enjoys going out and playing in the snow - and we are loving every minute of it...especially how exhausted he is and how well he sleeps after an afternoon in the snow!
That's all folks! I promise I will try to be better at updating in the next couple of months...at least until this new little baby makes his appearance!
