Tree Lighting on the New Haven Green - 2009

On Thursday night we went to the tree lighting on the New Haven Green with Nan. We've gone every year of Scarlett's existence. See...2007 2008
Obviously, this year we had Munch with us too. He was warmly bundled in his new winter jacket from the Greats. Scarlett was very excited this year. I let her pick out her own hat AND her own shoes to wear to the event. She was also allowed to eat the red frosted Oreos that our church had out. 3 of them even. And I didn't immediately wipe the chocolate evidence off of her face. Observe...Here are Scarlett and Nan waiting for the countdown.
And here they are counting down. (Kind of.) Ta da!!

We got a little closer for some pictures. And then Scarlett and Nan walked down the paths of the Green that were lit with luminary candles. Scarlett claimed that they were walking down the path to Sleeping Beauty's castle. And, in fact, if you ask her where we went that night she will proudly tell you that we walked to Sleeping Beauty's castle - which, admittedly, throws some people off...but hey...the kid digs princesses. And Santa hats. And, apparently, luminary candles.

Holden's baptism

Holden was baptized this morning. He was such a good boy; a doll even. Aunt Nachie and Uncle Keg, who are Holden's Godparents, joined us up front. And we had about 20 more of Holden's fans (our close friends and family) there too.

Holden fell asleep immediately after being baptized and slept through the remainder of the service. We had everyone over to our house after church but, of course, were too busy running around to take any pictures.
Thanks to all who helped us celebrate! We love you all!

'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.

She's an angel...

Scarlett got baptized last week and she was so amazingly well behaved. There was a brief moment where she looked at our pastor as if to say "really...we're going to go there?" - but she did so well. I was such a proud mother to hear all the congregation adoringly sigh as our pastor walked her around the crowds to introduce her. We had a party afterwards at the condo and I don't think I had the chance to hold my daughter once - there was a waiting list full of people who wanted a chance to hold her! She certainly slept well that night!