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Category Archives: Baby Photos
Santa Tantrums
As a final conclusion to the holidays 2010, I would like to share one of my favorite posts of the year from one of my favorite parenting blogs – The Poop.
Sadly, I missed the call for entries for the 2010 Annual Santa Tantrum Awards. But the muppets didn’t let us down. Their first visit with Santa is one to be remembered…
But here’s what our entry would have been:
Both muppets remained calm and composed throughout the wait in line. The moment we met Santa, Destroy became entranced by all the glittering and blinking lights. Search was not a fan.
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The Muppets Christmas Spectacular
I am sitting amidst the mountains of wrapping-paper wreckage in the living room. The laughter has finally died down. This has been a holiday for the history books – new chapters and new memories. Continue reading
The Annual Family Christmas Letter
I know many of you hate receiving these yearly accolades neatly condensed into a single letter – complete with stationary bearing the appropriate winter motif.
Well 2010 was a big year for us. As we close it out, it really seems to have passed us by while we were buys worrying/celebrating/planning/enjoying the muppets.
So, while you may not be a fan of THE ANNUAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER, I am. I love receiving them and reading the details of the year, while admiring the accompanying photos. (Even if I was right there beside you, living the year.) And this year, I love sending this. We’re proud of our muppets. (And quite frankly, if you’re here reading this, you have to admit you care a little too. =) )
The holidays are here again. And what a year it’s been…
January
You want a family? You’re GOING to have a family. Oh my goodness – we’re having twins…
February
Jon turns 30.
March
Avere Molti Bambini Maschili! “Yeah, those are both definitely boys,” said the doctor. Two boys? Put up the tent, it’s going to be a circus.
April
This was not the highlight of the year. At 22 weeks pregnant I move into the hospital for a very stressful six-week stay. Yuck.
May
It’s time to meet the muppets! We welcome Search Welker (2 lbs. 2 oz./12 in.) and Destroy Anthony (2 lbs. 3 oz./12 in.) to the world.
June
June is a blur. We spend the vast majority of it staring at the purple-elephant lined walls of the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit.
July
Jon and I learn more science than we ever did in school. Part parent, part nurse. And the muppets reach five pounds.
August
Homecoming! Search and Destroy officially become NICU graduates. Sleepless nights commence. It is fabulous waking up every three hours because our boys are home and healthy.
September
I return to work, embracing my new role as a working mom. Search and Destroy spend their days enjoying Daddy Day Care – they’re smiling now.
October
Happy Halloween! Mommy and Daddy’s monkey and the little lion.
November
I turn 30.
December
2010 is almost over and it’s been quite the roller coaster. We’ve been blessed with so much this year. This start of this new decade has brought an entirely new chapter of life for our family.
May you and yours have a happy, healthy holiday. And here’s to all the new adventures the coming year will bring.
The Infamous ExerSaucer
I really can’t be bothered to provide witty anecdotes for the blog right now, Mom. I’m busy playing hard here…
Santa Baby
Santa's Little Helpers
This morning we headed over to our local mall for the muppets first meeting with Santa. We wanted to make sure the Big Man in the Red Suit knew the boys were home and eagerly awaiting a midnight visit.
Breaking from his duties directing busy toy-making elves, Santa has recently begun accepting visitors. His social secretary began making photo appointments at 11 a.m. When we arrived to meet Aunt Ivy for the big meet and greet at 11:02 a.m., the line already snaked outside the building. I can’t say I blame people. Meeting Santa in person is a big deal.
A woman commented, “We just saw Santa at Macy’s. No line” as she departed from her morning shopping excursion. Aunt Ivy went to investigate. It was true! Jolly Old St. Nick was ho-ho-hoing to a much smaller happy group of children at the department store at the other end of the mall.
(To all grinches readying a snide comment that Santa can’t be in two places at once: magic. That’s how he works. Our Polar Express sleigh-bell still rings loud and clear in this house.)
I was very excited. And we were off – to find the Miracle of 34th Street Macys Santa. We arrived to find the entire store dressed for the holidays. The halls were decked with boughs of holly and brightly shining baubles. Twinkling lights wove their way through Christmas trees that stood at the end of every aisle. Giant red banners draped from the ceiling read, “BELIEVE.” Children dressed in their holiday best scampered around – toddlers wrote letters to the North Pole at Victoria’s desk. (Yes, Victoria, there is a Santa Claus…) All the while, Christmas Carols (piped through the store stereo system since the end of August) shared the spirit of Christmas.
And at the end of a red carpet, on a golden throne, sat a fabulously jolly old man. He had a deep real Santa-esque chuckle, crisp white gloves and fur trim set off the deep red velour suit, and the twinkle in his eye gave off the knowledge of a man who makes children happy (even if they do scream bloody murder when they sit on the strange man’s lap).
The muppets dressed in their fancy December outfits. (They are two seriously handsome guys.) They woke up right as we got in line. Search eyed me warily. Destroy was utterly fascinated by all the décor – he couldn’t take in all in fast enough. His little eyes were wide with delight.
Then it was our turn.
Dear Santa: This Christmas, we’d like to continue growing up – strong, healthy and smart. (And perhaps a jumperoo.)
Santa reached out to greet the muppets. Search had a meltdown. Destroy found new shiny ornaments to capture his attention. The elves jingled bells and squeaked fuzzy ducks in an attempt to elicit muppet smiles.
The end result:
Search – “I don’t know about this…”
Destroy – “Ooh, shiny object!”
‘Tis the Season!
Life with Little Ones
“I’ve been doing some thinking…”
“Mom and Dad look far too well-rested. How can I cause more mischief?”
“They’ll poop in their pants. They’ll poop on your pants.”
“Apparently riding the dog like a small pony is frowned upon in this establishment!”
Hi Ho Scout!
Weekend in Review
As promised, below is the visual follow up to the posts from this weekend.
Search and G.G.
Destroy with GrammaJ at his Welcome Home shower
G.G. with Muppets
Generations
Me!
G.G. and Search
Mini Me
The muppets are finally feeling better. Sick muppets are stressful.
This past weekend, they finally began recovering just enough to realize they did not feel good. So we had an extreme “hold me” weekend. Search was at least content to lie beside me. Destroy would not rest his well-exercised lungs unless he was firmly ensconced in my arms. On the positive side, Destroy’s continued screams did help clear our some of his congestion.
Needless to say, there was not much time for blogging endeavors.
Grandma Nancy stopped by on Tuesday to visit for the afternoon. Naturally, they immediately transformed into perfect angels. But hey – I’m not picky in the manner with which I encounter happy giggly muppets.
This was Grandma Nancy’s first extended stay alone with the boys. (So I do not begrudge her the halo effect even a little – it means she’ll come back for additional extended alone stays…) Rumor has it the conversations among the three took several trips down memory lane. (You’ve seen the Nanny Diaries documentary; the muppets converse regularly now.)
A popular question asked of me, other than “are they identical,” is “who do they look like?” And who better to confirm such a question than Grandma. The winning answer?
Jon. The muppets look like Dad.
Unlike animated Disney offspring, where sons are carbon copies of their father, the muppets do have some of my features. Search, for example, has inherited the trademark pointy chin found on my side of the family. And he has a similar body type to my baby self – longer and leaner. Destroy, in contrast, has more of a Michelin Man body type, round and rolly.
See for yourself.
Did your children look just like you? Or did you look just like one of your parents?
