Christmas Day

I'm still in recovery mode from my recent surgery, and with snow beginning to accumulate outside and a napping kiddo down the hall, it seems like the perfect time to recap our low-key (but memorable) Christmas.

This was our first year thinking about what O.K. would wake up to.  I remember when I was a kid how magical it was to find the tree lit and presents underneath it on Christmas morning.  So while Oscar may not totally get that this year, I wanted to make sure we at least practiced for future years.  Here's our first attempt at creating a post-Santa Christmas morning tree.

 How'd we do?

 As we hoped, he noticed this first: a second-hand Kettler trike with a [very loud] bell.

And then, he noticed this: a wooden train set sent to him by his cousin, Grayson, and Uncle Dave.  Though this shot is blurry it was the only one I got with his head still up.  The rest of them looked like this:

head down, busy playing.

While he played, John and I had coffee and made some breakfast (blueberry pancakes).  Since O.K. still had no idea what all the wrapped packages under the tree were, he remained content to play while we woke ourselves up a bit.  But then, it was time for more presents.

Oscar started catching on that there were some pretty fun things underneath the colored paper.

 Eager to get the ramp racer out of the package.

A favorite gift of Oscar's was a big Richard Scarry book all about cars and trucks and other things with wheels or wings or both.  Such a BOY.  But a boy who likes to read (or be read to), so I'm glad for that.

After more relaxing, some lunch, and a nap, we decided to go for a short walk.  Oscar "rode" his new trike while John pushed (hooray for "parent handles"!).  It was COLD, so we didn't last long.

We hopped in the car, stopped at the park for a short visit (so cold!), and then drove around searching for Christmas lights.  When we got home, we made and enjoyed a favorite meal (baked chicken pasta with fontina and spinach, browned butter asparagus, and John's now-infamous toffee chocolate chip cookies), skyped with family at 514, and tossed O.K. into bed.  

Happy second Christmas, Oscar!

Lights, Trains, and Santa

We're establishing our Christmas traditions this year by doing some of the same things we did last year:  the light show at Macy's and a visit to see Santa in the Christmas Village at City Hall.  We took the trolley down with friends, David, Mara, and their 21-month old daughter, Lucy (one of Oscar's first friends).  Beforehand, we all went to Reading Terminal Market to check out a special train exhibit there (and if the trains are there next year, we'll continue that as a tradition as well).

The exhibit had plenty of buttons for Oscar to push (his favorite!).  Each button made something in the exhibit move.

Then we were off to Macy's to see the light show.

Oscar during the show...

And then when he realized it was over.

 At the Christmas Village, Lucy and Oscar watched the carousel.

And then on to the last tradition of the day: a visit and a picture with Santa.  O.K. high-fived the photographer and hopped up on Santa's lap, no sweat.  This kid is down with Christmas (and he doesn't even know about the presents yet!).  All in all a fun day -- and we're already looking forward to doing it again next year.

Oh, Christmas Tree

After some debate and research on fake versus real (weighing the environmental, safety, and economical issues), we opted for a real tree.  It didn't win on safety, and it may be a toss-up environmentally and economically.  But there's just something about the whole experience of going to pick one out (even if it is only in a parking lot down the street a ways) that makes it special.  Oh, and that fresh woody smell that fills up the living room is pretty sweet, too.

 So, a Saturday or so ago, we ventured out to find our tree.

 And we found it!

 Oscar helped with the decorating 

(please note how "helped" is NOT in quotation marks anymore--he actually helped!).

Daily he admires the tree and names the many objects and creatures hanging from it.  He is surprisingly gentle and doesn't pull at the ornaments.  The other night I was taking him up to bed, and I said, "Good night, tree," as we headed up the stairs.  When the tree was out of sight, Oscar started calling out sadly, "Tree, tree, tree."  A sentimental kid, for sure. 

Halloween #2

Oscar was a robot for Halloween this year.  We went to the Halloween Tot Parade during the afternoon  with our friend, Susie, and her sweet sweet daughter, Sunny.  There were tons of kids and grown-ups in all kinds of costumes, snacks, and of course, trick-o-treating (though O.K. didn't do much of that this year).  Our little robot mostly enjoyed running around in circles and picking up leaves and other bits of city life he could find.  He did learn to push the buttons on his belly and say "Bee Boo Bop Boo Boop"-- such a sweet robot.

Saying hi to his penguin-friend, Nora.

Sunny in her cat-skeleton costume (look familiar?).

The robot snacking on a carrot (really!).

Other snacks were available though.

 Oscar and Lucy, the flamenco dancer, with Lucy's dad, David.

Back at home, reading a dinosaur book (a new favorite) with daddy before dinner.

A Little Pick-Me-Up

A surprise box came in the mail the other day.  It was unexpected (as surprises usually are) and therefore, that much sweeter.  Inside we found a Clever Dripper, some coffee roasted at 514, and a Jester hacky-sack.

 From what I can tell, a Clever Dripper takes the best from a simple cone coffee dripper (it's fast and simple) and a french press (it makes a rich cup of coffee).

We didn't hesitate to try it out.

 The results:  a fantastic cup of coffee and a little taste of 514 family.  Just what we needed.  

Thanks so much, Pop and Sherry.

Linvilla Orchards

Today we went to Linvilla Orchards to get a pumpkin and escape our dirty city for a bit of fall color and fresh air.

Oscar wore his monster shirt--or did his monster shirt wear him?

Linvilla has a huge collection of wooden structures perfect for climbing,

 and crawling through,

 and pretend driving.

We found a kid-size broom in Pumpkinland (Oscar was so excited!),

 and pumpkins, of course.  

A Few Fall Fotos

 Oscar at a friend's costume birthday party in the park.  He's a robot.

 Playing out front with the neighbor's hose.

20-month-old decisions:  coat on, pots out.  Ready for something, anyway.

A New Kind of Play

Well, not entirely new, but we are definitely seeing more "pretend" play.  I know all you parents have seen this before and anyone who isn't a parent may be somewhat unimpressed, but I can't say enough how amazing it is to watch Oscar growing and changing and becoming his own funny little person.  So here's a video starring O.K. and Baby Doll (and Mama saying silly things, like "good biting") that runs a little on the long side (but I'm not apologizing).

Bye-bye, High Chair

Oscar has pretty much out-grown his high chair.  His feet get stuck on the way out, and he has learned to shimmy his way into precariously standing up in the thing.  Plus, we like eating meals together, and losing the high chair means he will be more officially at the table.

 Oscar helped as we took apart and cleaned the high chair to save for later.

One quick ride before we packed it away.

Oscar sitting at the table in his new booster seat!

37

I always wondered how people could be unsure about how old they are, but now at 37 (pretty sure that's right), I am starting to get it.  Number one--there are just too many other things to think about.  Number two--the number is really starting to get big.  Number three--one more year isn't really making much difference anymore (I mean it's not like I get a new privilege for getting older any time soon).

So my age is forgettable, but my birthday was not.  It was last Monday, and my good husband and sweet son made it very special.  I had to work, of course, but I woke up to balloons hanging above my head (a favorite Macy tradition).  Then, when I got home from work, I found a transformed house: all the clutter was put away, the floors were vacuumed, the bathroom was clean, the dining room table "pile" had disappeared and in its place was this:

 

Home-baked cupcakes, wine and presents.

John had also surprised me by inviting over a few local friends (and their kiddos--Oscar's age) to share in the cupcakes and wine.  After they left we ordered some food from Pataya Thai, and I felt perfectly celebrated.  This birthday will go down as one of my best, however old I now am.

Philadelphia Open Studios Tour

John took part in the Philadelphia Open Studios Tour (P.O.S.T.) last weekend.  He showed his art in another studio-gallery in the Fairmount area.  The experience overall was positive, though to get more details, you'd need to talk to Johnny.  Here are a couple of pics:

Recent O.K. Pics (no theme, sorry!)

Oscar has started to accessorize--he'll put on "glasses" (like Daddy's), sunglasses, and any number of things has become a "hat".

We visited the Please Touch Museum recently, which is wonderful!  We are hoping to get a membership there, so that John can take Oscar there this winter when it is too cold for the park.

Less than fifteen years left...

Having "tea" with the Mad Hatter (O.K. wasn't too sure about him).

Oscar has friends, and he recognizes them!  Here he is with his friend, Julian, who came over to play not long ago.

And last, a first:  Oscar BUILDS a tower (instead of just knocking them down).