Happy Birthday

to an amazing Mom and Mormor, who's always there to take care of us, cook for us, clean up after us, play with us, listen to us, help guide us, pray for us, hug us, and love us!

Christmas Day

Nate was up around 7:30am on Christmas morning but after being up late the night before he was ready for a nap by 9:30am . He slept over three hours which means we didn't even start opening gifts until around 1pm, when most families have playing with new toys for hours. Why didn't we start opening at 7:30, you ask? Well, a certain father was still sleeping at the time Nate went down for his nap. :-)

Tim and Jessie were anxious to get going to Cape May where they were spending the day with Tim's grandparents, but they patiently waited for Nate to wake up so they could watch him open some gifts.

His first gift may very well be his favorite--a vacuum! He really didn't need me to show him what to do. He has been a vacuuming fool and I have the pictures and videos to prove it.

The sesame street-themed wrapping paper was nearly as exciting as the gift itself.

a basketball hoop!

My grandparents spent the day with us. I'm pretty sure they were amused by their crazy little great grandson.

A quick milk and chip break (little did we know we'd being those same consumed chips shortly thereafter).

musical instrument...or weapon

Mid present opening, Nate threw up (mostly potato chips, milk, and pork roll--because I know you're interested in the details!). We thought it was from all the excitement and greasy food however in the days following Christmas the majority of my family (immediate and extended) came down with a horrible stomach bug--and that includes me, Edward, my mom, my dad, Jessie, aunts, uncle, cousins, Sarah's mother-in-law, and family friends who were spent Christmas day with us. The entire McInnes family had been plagued a week before.
Toilets were in high demand. Enough said.

It was fast and furious and we are all feeling almost 100% better. Hope this awful bug doesn't make it to your neck of the woods.

We took a break from gift opening to let Nate recover and to find him some new clothes. We actually didn't finish opening gifts until yesterday. It was a slow going process.

Dressed and ready for a Christmas party at my aunt and uncle's house.

These are the only two pictures I took. Nate ran up and down this hallway repeatedly. My cousin and uncle have put up an incredible Christmas light display in their front yard for years now and Nate was in his element watching the show and listening to the accompanying music from the front door.

We left my parents' house Sunday morning (earlier than originally planned), our car packed with toys, to beat the blizzard. We made it about an hour and then the snow started. We went straight to the grocery store, stocked up, and got home. I had been feeling queasy in the car and then it all went downhill after we got home (thankfully not in the car!). It hit Edward that night. Ugh. As far as the snow, we only got around 6 inches, whereas my parents' area got several feet and even higher drifts. We haven't left the house this week and I am very thankful for all the new toys to keep us busy. Parents get sick of playing with the same toys, too! Thank you, everyone!

Christmas Eve

Hawaii will have to wait. I am determined to get Christmas pictures up before 2011 begins.

Here's my little Nate wearing an outfit that Edward wore as a toddler. How cute is that?! Thanks for saving it all these years, Jane. And by the way, do you have a picture of Edward wearing it? I'm sure my millions of followers would love too see it. :-)

Pointing out various ornaments to Aunt Jessie

Onto the Garcia's house for an afternoon/evening of eating, visiting, and church service (without the kids thanks to my mom, dad, and Donna who so nicely stayed home and watched them).

playing with Daddy

Aunt Karen and Sarah busy preparing appetizers

Brothers-in-law catching up

Mom and Donna

Liz and Jonathan tending to the fire

and like Thanksgiving, he's mesmerized by the fire

opening a few gifts--a new truck!

testing out Nate's new sleeping bag

the end of the night, when clothes are shed and it's time to pack up and say goodbye

Boston Pops

Two years ago Edward and I saw the Boston Pops Christmas show in Bridgeport, CT. I was pregnant at the time and I remember saying, "This time next year we'll have a 7 month old!". It seemed hard to imagine. Well we missed the show last year but this year we went to see the Boston Pops perform on their home turf, Symphony Hall in Boston, this year.

The night before the show. Unforunately Nate slept TERRIBLY--as he often does in hotel rooms.

Looking out the window we could see water, ships, and this blue lit walkway.

In the daylight Nate saw people walking, jogging, and his favorite--dogs!



A musical reading to "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"
And later in the show a musical reading to "The Night Before Christmas". We attended a daytime children's performance so it was geared towards entertaining the many children in the audience.
It was an amazing show and we were relieved that Nate enjoyed sitting on our laps watching the show, too.
After lunch and a walk around Quincy Market we checked out the New England Aquarium. This didn't last long. It had been a long day on little sleep and Nate did not want to be held, sit in his stroller, or hold our hands. He would have been happy to run wild, but it was very crowded and that just wasn't possible, so after a fit and many tears, we left, all exhausted from our big trip.
Aren't those the ugliest fish? Nate was unfazed by them.
His favorite part of the aquarium was this "ball".




Waiting for the car. Time to go home!

Not home for long though. Three days later Edward and I boarded a plane for Hawaii while Nate stayed behind with my parents. We had five full days on Oahu and we are now back in CT, safe and sound, and slightly tanned. Check back later this week for pictures from our trip to paradise!