More Christmas Fun

Here are some more photos from other Christmas-related activities earlier this month.

First up:  the annual Kessler Park tree lighting with the Joneses and Charltons.  Hanging out at a giant rock on the Colorado/Lausanne island.

Although Scarlett wanted nothing to do with Santa/Father Christmas, she was willing to take one of his delicious lollipops.  We were washing lollipop out of her hair for days.

Boyd and Scarlett chasing each other around the tree, lollipops in hand.

Pretty girls -- Harper, Scarlett, and Campbell -- enjoying their lollipops.

More lollipop action.

Max didn't get a lollipop, but he didn't seem to notice.

Getting ready to visit Santa and the trains at NorthPark with Grandma.

Sweet hug (I think; you can't see Max's face in this photo, so I can't be sure).

Handsome Max with his seed pod.

Pretty Scarlett in her Christmas finest, including short sleeves in December.

More hugs.

Scarlett showing the NorthPark trains to Max.

The train display included all kinds of cool settings, from Grand Central Station and the Golden Gate Bridge to the Texas State Fair.  Here's a shot of part of the Dallas skyline complete with a mini Calatrava Bridge and Reunion Tower ball.

Grandma and Max enjoying the trains.

Max checking out our Christmas tree.  We lost three ornaments the first few days the tree was up (translation:  Max dropped and shattered three ornaments the first few days the tree was up), but did a bit of rearranging and there were no further casualties.

Checking out the presents.  Notice the tongue sticking out.

Merry Christmas!

A Tale of Three Santas

We once again visited with three Santas this year with varying results.  (Well, for Scarlett at least.  Max's reaction was pretty consistent:  sheer terror.)

We saw Santa #1 at the Cookies and Castles event the first weekend in December.  Scarlett actually asked to go see him while we were decorating our gingerbread house, so I had high hopes.  We were there with the Kovac boys who are older and played it totally cool with Santa.  They went first and Scarlett calmly watched them sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.  Then it was her turn, and suddenly she was stuck to me like glue.  I tried to peel her off but finally gave up and just got in the picture with her.  (Sweet Max stayed home since he's too little to decorate a gingerbread house.  And is it just me, or does it look like Santa could use a Red Bull?  And check out that big white bear sneaking up on me from behind -- maybe I should have been trying to make a break for it, too.).

Santa #2 was at the annual Kessler Park neighborhood tree lighting, which is at the big island just a few houses down from ours.   Santa #2 has been dubbed by Dana as "Father Christmas" because he looks less like Santa and more like some random guy with a beard from our neighborhood in a green robe with some leaves in his hair (this year he and Mrs. Clause/Mother Christmas (?) mixed things up a bit by driving up in a snazzy white convertible, but I digress ...).  Anyhow, Scarlett took one look at Santa #2/Father Christmas and wanted no part of sitting on his lap.  And since Max had no idea what was going on, the poor guy got stuck sitting on his lap all by himself before he realized what was happening.  And then he realized what was happening.  And he promptly freaked out.  

Last but not least, we took a trip to NorthPark Mall to visit the "real Santa."  He's been doing it for nearly 30 years, and he's somewhat of a celebrity in Dallas.  In fact, he's so popular, that as it gets closer to Christmas, the wait can be hours long to see him.  There's an elaborate "take a number" system so you don't have to actually stand in line, but the day we went we arrived at 11:30 a.m. and pulled number 200-something and were told our number would be up sometime around 6:00 p.m.  I had Scarlett all primed and ready to sit on his lap after much discussion over several days, and both kids were all dressed up, but there was NO WAY we were hanging out at the mall for 6 hours or heading home and coming back up.  As luck would have it, on our way out after checking out the train display and eating lunch we swung by again, there was a lull in the line, and the ticket guy let us sneak in.  A Christmas miracle!  Scarlett held it together (although she was super shy and didn't smile) and did manage to whisper to Santa that she wants a baby doll for Christmas.  Max, on the other hand, totally lost it again.  

Santa told Scarlett that he will bring her a baby doll and that he'd really like some cookies when he comes to bring the presents, so we'll be sure to do that.  But we might not mention it to Max that Santa will be sneaking into the house while we sleep or the poor guy might never want to sleep again.  Believe it or not, after all the Santa-related tears, we think Max said Santa a few times today without even a hint of terror in his little baby voice, so hopefully I haven't traumatized him too much.   

Max is one year old! (November 17, 2012)

Wow, has it really been a year already?  Below are shots from Max's 12th and final "month sticker" photo session.  But first some thoughts on Max at one year old ...

Max officially took his first steps a few days before his first birthday (five days before, to be exact).  He continued to take a few steps here and there, until the week after his birthday when it finally clicked and he took off and never looked back.  He loves to climb on things, and I actually found him standing precariously on a drum on the edge of the fireplace mantel last week (luckily, I intervened just in time, and he was not happy that I interrupted his plans).  Speaking of his drum, he continues his love of music, and has the cutest little dance moves.  He pushes the music buttons on the swing in his bedroom and proceeds to rock out to the rather lame music selection, including Irish jigs and lullabies.

He has added a few words to his vocabulary, including ball and bath, but he clearly understands a whole host of words.  If he's in the right mood (i.e. not distracted by food or Scarlett) he'll correctly point out Scarlett, Daddy, Winnie, ball, nose, light, fan, Pinky (Scarlett's infamous ratty baby doll), and more.  He loves to turn light switches on and off, and points at them and sort of grunts at you until you pick him up to let him have at it.

He likes to try to feed himself with a fork or spoon (despite the fact that his success rate is close to zero, but the poor thing still tries and tries), and he continues to be a big eater (he ate six Chick Fil A nuggets the other day for lunch, or as Scarlett calls it, Chick La Fay (sounds like a burlesque dancer and makes me giggle every time she says it)).  Max loves bath time and loves to go outside, and is NOT happy when it's time to come inside. He loves toy cars and trains and anything with wheels that he can push along the floor, and even makes a cute little "vroom vroom" noise while he does it.

He still has separation anxiety and is my little shadow; he doesn't even like it if I leave the room.  He and Scarlett play together more and more each day, and even "rough house" a bit, which typically involves Scarlett hugging Max over-zealously or laying on him, neither of which he particularly likes.  He still finds her absolutely fascinating and hilarious, even when she's bossing him around or scolding him ... "No Max, no!  We do NOT stand on drums!"

Here are his stats from his 12-month appointment with Dr. Curry:
Weight -- 24 pounds, 4 ounces (60th percentile)
Height -- 30 1/2 inches (60th percentile)
Head -- 19 inches (97+ percentile ... to hold all those brains, of course)

He is such a happy baby (or do I have to say toddler now?) and is such a blessing to our family.

This boy is so sweet I can hardly stand it.

 Laughing with Scarlett.

Scarlett trying to peel off Max's 12-month sticker.  Note the look on her face ... she knows she's not supposed to do it, but is going to do it anyway, and is even going to look me in the eye while she does it.  Oh, Scarlett ...

Sweet hug and kiss.  If only all of their hugs were this sweet ...

And now for the not-so-sweet hugs.  This series of photos cracks me up.

Sweet Sister and Brother.  

Looking at Sister lovingly.

Scarlett goes for a hug, which starts off innocently enough.

Scarlett even throws in a kiss.  Sweet, right?  And the fact that Max's head is at that crazy angle could be because he's looking at an airplane, right?

Ummmm, maybe not.

Don't worry, I intervened right about this point.

So then she moved on to another one of her favorite pastimes of late: wrestling Max to the ground.  I try to tell Scarlett that payback is going to be brutal, but she doesn't listen.  "But I'm just hugging him!  I'm being gentle!"  Sure you are, Scarlett.  Sure you are.

A few more recent shots of our handsome one-year-old boy.  Happy Birthday, Maxwell!!

Cookies & Castles

Cookies & Castles is an annual "gingerbread extravaganza" and fundraiser for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children sponsored by the Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta.  BB and I were both Tri Delts in college, and Scarlett and I headed to Cookies & Castles this year for Scarlett's first Tri Delt event!  We joined the Kovacs (Amy is also an alum) and the kids had a great time decorating their very own gingerbread houses, which we got to bring home with us.

Scarlett looked cute as a button and was in an uncharacteristic photo-loving mood, so we got some really sweet shots before heading out to the event.  Seriously, how cute is she??

A few pictures with Momma.  

They have quite the set-up at the event.  There's a huge candy buffet in the middle of the room with more types of candy than you can imagine and frazzled college girls filling candy orders for mobs of sugar-wired kids and holiday-crazed parents.  I didn't get any pictures at the event (other than a professional photo with Santa, which will be in a future post), but here is Scarlett's masterpiece.  

There's a lot of snacking that goes on during the decorating, and Scarlett had a few more nibbles after we got home and in the days that followed.  The icing has now taken on a cement-like quality, so the nibbles have ceased.

Scarlett sporting her first DDD party t-shirt.

We can't wait to go back next year!