Shatterproof Christmas

While my mom was here, we were supposed to go see Santa. Until Abby said she didn't want to. Hmmmm. After all that talk about her wanting him to cut his beard, I guess she's holding out until he does. So, instead, we went to Home Depot. A terrible replacement. But somethings needed to get done! Grandma had the brilliant idea of buying shatterproof balls for the bottom of the tree. Brilliant! I would've just spent the rest of the month arguing everyday with Abby about why she "can't touch those pretty Waterford ones."

She was obsessed with hanging each one just perfectly...

Fordy watched cheerfully...

And at the end of it all, the tree ate Abby.

Followed by she and Red taking a well deserved nap.

498.making our own Christmas traditions

499. Righting wrongs

500. figuring out the morning nap and it stretching for 1.5 hours

There's No Place Like Home

While I was putting Ford to bed last Wednesday night, I started to hear some crazy gusty wind outside. Granted, our house is noisy and it often sounds like someone is jumping on the roof when the temperature outside changes drastically... so I didn't think much of it. But later, when Abby and I were reading in her room, one of her windows which had a slight crack in it started to break even further because of the wind. I grabbed her and put her to bed in the playroom when we lost power. She was asleep in about 2 minutes, totally fine with the howling wind just outside the window, the lack of usual white noise and her parents acting a bit freaked out.

Most people in Pasadena were prepared for this, but since I live in a hole and never, ever get to watch the news (it's way too graphic for the two year old eyes!), always listen to kid songs in the car so I can have some peace and quiet and only have time to check my email when online, I had no idea what was coming. The next 12 hours consisted of some Auntie Em type stuff, up to 100 miles an hour at our house. At one point, we were afraid that our large sliding doors might shatter they were shuddering against the wind so often. The good news? Grant and I got some quality time together, loudly talking over the crazy wind outside. It was funny how after awhile, we got used to the noise. Still freaky, but we got used to it.

My mom arrived the next day - we still can't believe her plane could land -- and we spent that day and the next night without power, our temperatures dropping more each hour. That night Grant was up stoking the fire every hour and trying to keep the place above 58 degrees. At about 4am, our power came on, while the folks just across the canyon from us had their power out FOR FIVE DAYS. Five. Days. For every single one of those 5 days, we were so very thankful that we had power, warmth and the smarts to make Christmas cookies. Many of our neighbors lost trees, had damage to their homes and when we drive through Pasadena, a week later, we still see hundred year old oak trees toppled from the roots. We've still got a lot to clean up around here... but relatively speaking, we're doing pretty good! Thank you for your calls and emails to see if we were okay!

The day before we lost power was a lovely day. Abby was blowing bubbles...

Rubbing the bubbles all over her hands...

Got caught in the act of putting the wand in her mouth ("Mom! My lips hurt!")...

and ironically, like Dorothy, sporting her sparkly slippers. Hopefully she was thinking "there's no place like home."

And the look I love....that glassy eyed stare that comes after lunch when she's ready for a rest.

495. a fireplace that works and actually puts out heat

496. a stack of wood that had been delivered a week before

497. the perfect timing of grandma's visit

Itty Bitty Goes For A Ride

Before the crazy windstorm almost blew us all away (more on that later)... we spent many an afternoon, as you know, hanging outside. We had really warm weather before a few weeks ago. Then we had a crazy cold snap.

Abby decided that Itty Bitty needed a ride on her bike. I walked outside to find this...

And then Abby decided to join her.

There's Fordy... back around the bushes tormenting Red the dog...

Is she still back there? (love the tongue on this one...)

She spent the rest of the ride worrying that Itty had fallen off. Don't we all do this? Worry while we should be looking ahead? Yes. Yes, we do.

But there are Itty's feet. Perfectly dangling off the back.

You'd think the boy would be getting a tooth with all that drool....

But no. Not just yet. Those cheerios will have to wait.

The pears and peas and carrots and sweet potatoes and avocados and yogurt and bananas and rice cereal are in full swing, however. (Whew. This introducing food thing is tiring!)

492. electricity. oh, my ... how thankful i am for electricity!

493. our sliding door not shattering in 100 mph winds

494. knowing exactly where the candles and flashlights were (a first!)

Elmo Calling

Abby now loves toys that she can pull around. Isn't that a one year old thing to do? Anywho... this ancient telephone is her recent fav. I had it when I was a kid and it was a gift from my big brother. I'm shocked that this wins out over the Elmo cell phone. Here was her conversation today...

"Mom. It's ringing."

"Hmmm. It's still ringing."

"Mom! It's Elmo! Hi Elmo!"

"Elmo? What you doing?"

"Elmo? I'll talk to Santa for you. Okay, Elmo. Bye!"

Book of the Week : Curious George Goes To The Hospital (or "Hopsital" as Abby says)

489. not being in the hospital for heart surgery during the recent storm (we know someone who was!) 490. electricity! 491. windows that withstood our 100 mph winds the other night

Turkey In The Desert

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope yours was lovely...

Ours was a glorious time with family. We were in Palm Desert with beautiful warm weather (although not as warm as the 80 degree hot spell we came home to!) so we were able to swim. Here is Abby - first time with floaties on...

Fordy did a little swimming but sometimes we felt just like doing this. Feet up. Sun shining down. Ahhhh.

And when I dove in, Fordy got to hang with fun Aunt Stacey.

And every time I turned around, Grandma was there with another gift for the kids to open. Each and every one was apropos for the moment. A float suit for Ford and a big inflatable airplane that Abby enjoyed more than Fordy did.

Later, Abby got to open her first sleeping bag. Big news, people. Big news. It had princesses on it, too. She literally said, "I'm so excited to go to sleep in my sleeping bag!" This from a girl who never likes going to sleep. Angeles were singing. It was fabulous. So fabulous that she took naps every single day. Maybe it was the sleeping bag. Maybe it was chasing her cousin Abram around. Or maybe it was all of the swimming. Either way, winner!

Fordy's last day at the pool...

And in the great Nieporte holiday tradition, Grandma busted out some cheesecake which Abby was able to take a big spoonful of before anyone else could touch it.

And then....the next day we were off to the club for dinner. It was the second year in a row where we've done this-- no insane cooking for Grandma, no insane dishes for the guys... I must say, it was wonderful. Abby stole this pink thing from Grandma -- her name is Bernice and she sings a little song and flaps her wings. All very cute. But definitely not allowed to come to the club. Frown. She got over it.

Abby even got to eat salmon. And Ford only fussed for a minute. It was actually more calm than dinners at home. Maybe it was because of the sleeping bag. Oh no, wait... maybe it was because we went to dinner at 3:45. Yep. That was it. Maybe we should always eat dinner at 3:45. That way, everyone would be in a good mood instead of the craziness at our house at 6pm.

His first collared shirt...

Grandma and Grandpa at dinner with Fordy (this was before Abby's ice cream which was covered in m & m's which sent her into an insane sugar rush with her running around the house, stripping off her clothes and chasing her cousin and both dogs).

And finally - the four of us. Three years ago, I never would've believed this picture would be our future....

And a week ago, I also would not have guessed that Thanksgiving night would be the first time I'd sleep through the night in 6 plus months. That's what happens when you accidentally turn the monitor to the wrong channel and can't hear your baby crying at night. Sleep training got kick started and now, voila -- I don't get up at 3am!

486. being pampered by my inlaws for 3 days

487. loving watching Abby and Abram grow up together

488. sleeping from 12-7

Classic Fordy

And while I get my Thanksgiving thoughts together, here are some classic Fordy pics from the aforementioned birthday party.

483. no dishes on Thanksgiving

484. knowing that at least I can pray

485. not getting up at 3am (update to come!)

Big Girl Birthday Revisited

We've already shared the birthday party of our sweet friend, Katie.

But.

That was before I saw Katie's mommy's pictures from that day. They're so much better than mine... I just have to share! Check out her blog...she takes amazing pictures.

Abby having her tea (punch!)...

The line up of all the girls. I just love Abby down there on the end, hanging with the big kids.

Her awesome marshmallow necklace (and not giving a crazy "cheese!" face for the camera)...

The three of us!

Abby doling out hugs...

Katie doling out kisses...

The best part! Mini ice cream cones!

479. fordy's nap schedule developing

480. a family to plan the holidays with

481. a new and improved swing set situation

482. our faithful mailman