Have yourself a merry little Christmas

We certainly did! We woke up and opened our presents at home. Then we went over to Aunt Sue and Uncle Joe's. Then we went over to Aunt Darla and Uncle Mike's. Then we went to visit Scarlett's Nan and Scarlett's Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Craig. Even better - everyone had wrapping paper for Scarlett. What can I say, she loves the stuff. Joe and I thought that by the end of the day she might be a little crabby, especially because we left the house at 1 and didn't get home until after 9...but we were mistaken. Perfect baby strikes again! Ah...the simple days when all was grand if you found a pink elephant under the tree. We named him Heffalump. Well...Scarlett named him "dada" but we thought that might get confusing in the months to come. Scarlett got a train...and a guitar..."I've got blisters on my fingers!!" (That's a quote from a Beatles song - Scarlett found it quite funny so I said it a lot)On the next episode of When Bows Attack...Too many toys, not enough hands.

Scarlett and her Nan.

Scarlett and her new "Walter the Farting Dog" book, yes, the farting dog.

That's it folks, that was our Christmas.

'Twas the night before Christmas

and all through the house was a creature definitely stirring...and rocking out to her new beat box.

We spent Christmas eve with Grandma and Aunt Melissa. We went to the Christmas eve ceremony at church and Scarlett was so very good, as always. We're realizing that she has accumulated quite a following due to her pleasant disposition. When the ceremony had ended and we were walking to the car I overheard many people whispering "there's the perfect baby, there goes baby Jesus." Here are a couple pre-church photos...

Here are Scarlett and Joe after church. Scarlett is wearing her special Christmas eve pj's that Joe bought for her. Joe is starting a little father daughter yearly tradition of purchasing Scarlett a special pair of Christmas jamma-jams to give to her on Christmas eve. (How cute??)
In addition to her beat box...Scarlett got a lot of adorable (and much needed) jamma-jams from Grandma and Aunt Melissa. Christmas morning here we come!!

Scarlett and her role as baby Jesus

Scarlett was baby Jesus in our church's Christmas pageant. I was Mary, and Joe was...Joe. Although I'm not sure if he went by Joe (the real Joe...not my Joe) so for the sake of not wanting to be sacrilegious I'll be ending that joke now. Scarlett could not have been a better baby Jesus. She sat perfectly still for the twenty minutes we were in front of the congregation. She only broke character once when she got a wicked case of the hiccups right before the end of her performance. I reassured her that hiccups were a normal aspect of babyhood and that even baby Jesus himself had to have gotten the hiccups. She didn't buy it.
The holy family.Nan with her granddaughter, baby Jesus.Our long and gruelling trip to Bethlahem. As reliable as that donkey looks - he really started to get on my nerves by the end of the trip. We finally made it to the manger. I kept baby Jesus warm by wrapping him in a plush (very 21st century) 100% cotton towel. Baby Jesus, of course, found the tag on the towel and played with it throughout the performance. If he wasn't doing that he was chewing on the donkey's mane. Oh...and in case you didn't know...at birth baby Jesus could clap and say "dada." He also weighed 18 pounds.

A tale of two choppers

I have discovered it is next to impossible to take pictures of the new teeth of a seven month old, much to the dismay of many friends, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents. Scarlett's new thing is sticking her tongue out. Please observe...

Said tongue blocks teeth. I did get one picture where if you stare really hard, and maybe use your imagination a bit, you can see teeth. Here it is (don't hold your breath)...

Notice the slight glimpse of white in the middle, right above her bottom lip...yes, the faint glimmer that could just as easily be drool. Those are teeth, I swear. Being completely unsatisfied with this representation of what I feel to be such an adorable milestone - I shamed mothers everywhere by actually reaching my fingers into Scarlett's mouth to capture her teeth in their glory. I got 'em.

There they are folks. I have no shame.

A little giggle-roo before bed

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter"

e e cummings

Dancing, Dancing, DANCING

If this child makes it to her first birthday without sustaining any minor injuries courtesy of her father I'd be amazed. I guess that's what dads are for. Not the sustaining minor injuries part - but the having fun while getting close to sustaining minor injuries part. Heck, if it was up to me she'd be wearing bubble wrap.

Scarlett and how not to answer the telephone

Today we played with a toy phone. I don't think Scarlett quite got it. I tried to explain to her that while answering a phone there is usually a lot less banging involved. There is also a lot less annoying music - unless, of course, you're on hold with an insurance company. In that case I think I'd take "The Buttons on the Phone Go Beep, Beep, Beep" over their instrumental version of "That's What Friends Are For" on repeat for eternity. I also tried to convey to Scarlett that despite how dull the conversation gets it is completely inappropriate to throw one's self back 007 style and drop the phone - despite how much you may want to.

Scarlett with a wicked case of the crazies and the hiccups

You can't even imagine how short this clippit is in comparison to the actual video of Scarlett with a wicked case of the crazies and hiccups. I did some serious editing out. I'm talking like 20 minutes of editing out. This baby will not sit still. I get tired just watching her. I'm also endlessly entertained.

Not just 1...but 2

Two teeth folks. Scarlett sprouted two teeth. My friend Val made a comment about Scarlett's cookie video asking me if this meant she had teeth. Well...it turns out yes. It very much does mean that. Who knew? I will fully admit I had no idea that teeth were there until the prospect of teeth was suggested. Way to go me. Aren't babies supposed to tell you this stuff? Communicate in some crying manner "Hey ma...I'm growin' teeth here" (I don't know when Scarlett developed a Brooklyn accent). It was pretty easy to determine she had teeth too...I put my finger in her mouth and she bit me. Hard. Look out world...this kitties got claws....or teeth. And she's a baby, but look out!

C is for cookie

Punching Daddy in the face (accompanied by the best punching sound effects you ever heard)

This seemed like a good idea at the time - and then it occurred to Joe and I that maybe encouraging our daughter to punch people in the face was not the best thought out plan. Enjoy this video folks, Scarlett has retired from her boxing career.

Scarlett's first Christmas tree

Scarlett would not stop talking about the tree lighting we saw on the green the other night...see for yourselves...

So we went hunting for Christmas trees yesterday so she could have one of her very own. I'm very happy we went hunting in the woods and not hunting at Home Depot. Technically, it was a tree farm - but it was far more woods-like than Home Depot anyway. I can assure you though, that tree never saw us coming. Or, maybe it did. I think we're hard to miss. Here is a picture of us hunting trees armed with a saw - and a stroller.

There she is - our trophy tree. It's probably not customary in hunting to take a picture with your prey prior to killing it. Actually - it seems rather cruel. But there is no stopping a new mom with a camera. We're invincible.

The first ornament that went on the tree was (quite appropriately) Scarlett's "first Christmas" ornament. I have turned into quite the sap lately (a little tree humor for you) and this ornament actually brought a tear to my eye. (I had it picked out for her first ornament in - oh...October) It's Winnie the Pooh and Piglet looking into a baby's cradle and saying "How delightful, to be so brand-new." (Sob). Here is Scarlett putting it on the tree.

Scarlett was so obsessed with ornaments that, yes folks, she crawled towards them. If you can call it crawling. It was more like stealthily maneuvering from point A to point B. I'm not quite sure how she got there - I don't think she is either...but it happened none the less.

That's it! That's my post. You may not feel as if applause is necessary...but Scarlett certainly does, and that's why we all love her.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree!

We went to the tree lighting on the New Haven green tonight. We met everyone at our church and then walked over to the green to see a boy's choir, Santa, and yes...Ronald McDonald. I told Scarlett all about Christmas but I hope she didn't get confused and wind up thinking that Ronald McDonald will be climbing down our chimney to leave her presents. That thought even petrifies me. Scarlett had a lot of fun. We got some great pictures. Unfortunately our camera ruined Christmas and died right before an adorable photo op with me, Scarlett, and Rudolph. Joe told me I should let that go already. It's hard, but I'll try.

Attack of the abominable snowbaby! Look out!

Scarlett with her friends, Elias and Jesse (and the parents, of course, but who cares about us, right?)

"Tree? What tree? Why is everybody being really, really loud?!"

Scarlett's new Canadian threads

Scarlett got some new clothes in Canada from family members who asked her to "represent" back in the states. Canada's down like that. Grandad and Aunt Katrina picked out this adorable shirt.
Scarlett can only handle so much Canada at once. She fell over.

And Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Hopkins got Scarlett this awesome snowsuit. I love it too because it has bear ears on the hood. How fun! Perfect timing for the tree lighting festival we went to tonight!

Oh Canada!

We're back! What a fun trip. I don't know how, but Scarlett survived 10 hours of driving each way without making one peep. She was awesome - as always. She had no trouble sleeping, eating, or maintaining her utterly pleasant disposition while in a foreign country. That must come from her being half Canuck. We did encounter some snow which came as a shock to everyone. It was cold "oot and aboot." This explains the ridiculous hood that I made Scarlett wear...as you can see she finds it hilarious. It has fur on it...come on...fur is funny!
Here is a picture of Joe and Scarlett right before the Canadian border. Note the evil eyes of Joe as I made him pose for a "very important" picture in 2 degree celsius weather ("aboot" 36 degrees fahrenheit).

We then went on to Burlington, Ontario to meet Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Hopkins! Check us "oot!" (For the sake of wanting you to read on I will stop with the Canadian accent jokes now).

We, of course, had to remove and eat our socks. No day is complete without doing such.

Thanksgiving day lunch at the Swiss Chalet - this certainly beats my cooking.

Heading up to Mormor and Grandad's in Aurora - let it snow, let it snow...make it stop.Meeting Mormor and Grandad was fun for Scarlett...especially while displaying remnants of carrots all over her face! Mormor had earrings, or "bling," which were of particular interest to Scarlett. With her new pinching skills I am surprised that these earrings are still in the possession of Mormor! Daddy and carrotface hanging out (I swear I tried to wash these carrots off).
Scarlett finally got to meet Aunt Katrina and Uncle Jonathan. They had watches on their wrists and strings on their sweatshirts - all of which they let Scarlett slobber all over. What more could a baby ask for?!

Here Scarlett got to meet her second cousin, Hannah. Hannah collected giant stuffed animals from around the house for Scarlett to play with and drool on. You know...this family really gets my kid. Here is the whole Adams clan (well...minus a sleeping Scarlett)Mormor brought us to downtown Toronto for a Swedish Christmas festival. Scarlett loved looking at all the people and decorations. Here Joe and Mormor are walking Scarlett backwards on a very windy Toronto street.We think that Scarlett has grasped the idea of peek-a-boo. Either that or she has grasped the idea of completely fooling her parents - both of which would be amazing.

Well folks...that was our trip. As always it flew by way too quickly. The next time Scarlett sees her Canadian relatives she'll be walking and talking. Heck...at the rate she's going she'll be doing quantum physics. Alright...that may be a stretch. She'll be doing algebra.