Christmas Celebrations, Part 5

Day after Christmas...

relaxing morning at home.

Check out the awesome new table and chairs set! This will reside in the play room once it's finished.

Hi, baby.

Ugh. Our house looked like a disaster zone for DAYS.

Stuff everywhere - old and new. Makes me crazy.

But... we were tucked in and cozy. And I guess I can live with a little mess for awhile.

With all our parties in the evenings, I insisted we stay in and just chill for the mornings.

I put Sophie's owl doll, Prudence, in my sling and she thought that was just great that we were both carrying her babies around. Notice she has BOTH Dora and Diego in hers. You didn't know pouch slings could carry two babies, did you?

In the afternoon of the 26th, we went to the Munoz residence to celebrate with the Riedeman family. I took exactly one picture at this event... of my uber-cute niece Cecilia:

I don't really know why my picture taking slacked off this day. Sometimes you just get the feeling that certain crowds don't really LOVE having their picture taken. We just ate and visited and had a very nice time. And the kids were very good. Lovely.

Monday, December 27th

Skees Christmas at Uncle Dan & Aunt Lori's

Will has been having a rather frustrating streak of fighting/refusing his nap for the past week or two. I'm sure it was just poor parenting on my part, but I told him he needed to nap in order to go to this party. Will LOVES parties and I thought this would be an incentive. Well, perhaps he really just couldn't fall asleep, but in the end there was no nap to be had... And Craig volunteered to stay home with him instead of having crazy-man behavior ruin the night for both of us. After all, this was party #4. The kid needed some rest.

So this was just a lovely "girls night" for Sophie and I.

She's recently started biting the inside of her cheek this week and was not feeling comfortable enough to smile yet upon our arrival.

Our ensembles complimented each other with black and pink frills. ;)

This was so cute.

After Cora arrived, she and Sophie were just warming up to each other in the living room and posing for my camera. Cora has that oh-so-adorable "toddler squat" thing going on... You know where they squat down to anything or anyone they feel bigger than?

Will did the "toddler squat" starting at about Sophie's age and Sophie's starting to do it now too. The funny thing is, Sophie's almost as tall as Cora now (they're almost a year apart - just like Cora's mommy and me!) and she's still "squatting" down to greet Sophie in a high pitch cutesie voice. "Hi, Sophie!" Love it.

Then the two of them took turns squatting down with hands on their knees, saying "cheese!" for me... and laughing/smiling while the other one took their turn. I love how Sophie's watching Cora and trying to copy her.

And look at Big-Man Lincoln! He is just cute as can be at 6 (almost 7) months old.

The biggest hit of this night (for the kids) was the PIANO! They all took their turns "playing" and turning the pages of the music book. The little boy beside Sophie here is Trevor. I'm not exactly sure how to explain the relation, but I think the great grandparents are siblings? Trevor and his family have only been coming to this Christmas for two years now. His mom seemed as camera happy as me though, so I like her. ;) Mya and Cora

A cute shot of Mya. (I cropped Sophie out because she was making a crazy face, but I loved Mya's expression here.)

More Ring Around the Rosie!

Mya & Wes

The twins joining in on my pathetic attempt to play some Christmas songs.

After nine or ten years of lessons (but being out of practice for longer than that), I can read music and play a liiiiiitle bit... but that's about it.
Meanwhile, Casey danced with Sophie.

Stella

When I see this pic, I am reminded of one of my first music books: Teaching Little Fingers to Play.

Sophie and Stella

So cute. I just adore how these girls look at each other.

Aunt Lori - hostess!

Ahhh, the food. The Skees family gatherings always have my mouth watering for days leading up to them. Delish, as usual.

That red bowl in front is my Chinese Chicken Salad, but the Green Goddess Dip to the right was the highlight of my night. Can't wait to replicate that!

And that concluded our holiday extravaganza.

Four days, four parties.

Lots of fun with family.

Little Mother

Isn't it amazing the gender specific traits that are ingrained in little people before they even really establish who they are? Like, without any real encouragement, boys often prefer to play with trucks and balls and shovels, where girls choose to carry around a baby doll and wear dresses and twirl. That's not across the board of course and I love to see Will pretend to cook and Sophie throw a ball, but it's funny how biologically similar the different sexes are.

{On a side note, and as a preface to this post, Will has pretended to breastfeed Sophie's baby doll, though Sophie herself has not. LOL ;) }

Sophie got her first real baby doll for Christmas and she instantly took to being a little mother, toting it around and hugging it.

She practiced "kangaroo care" in a Slinglings baby carrier for toddlers - a perfect gift from my mom - just as I used to carry my babies!
Perfect positioning and posture too... I love this little carrier - it looks so cute on her!

She sat her baby upright to spoon feed her.

And held her close while she fed her a bottle.

She wasn't really burping the baby, but doesn't it look like it? :)

Giving love and kisses.

And more milk! ;)

We have since done a lot of pretend play with baby. Putting her down for a nap was Sophie's favorite... she couldn't stop running back in to check on her multiple times and then running out to tell us all "Shh! Baby seeping!"

I love this age.