Zoo Lights

Before Christmas, we went with Will's family to the National Zoo for the Zoo Lights exhibit. It was REALLY cold but the kids had fun. As a kid, there's something cool about being outside at night. Here are a few cute pictures - I didn't take many - it's a little hard in the dark!!Aidan, Emmy, Will and MaggieAidan and Will with a panda:

He Never Ceases to Amaze Me

Aidan can ski! Really - I'm not exaggerating! We went skiing from Sunday to Tuesday before Christmas and since Aidan was too little for the ski school - he had to be 4 - we got him one hour of a private lesson. It was so cold, 13 degrees that felt like -8 with the wind chill, but he was a trooper - totally got out there with all his winter gear on. From what I could see from the warm lodge he was into it the whole time. I even went out to check on him about 45 minutes in - thinking he would be ready to come in - he was LOVING it and his teacher was really surprised how much he was enjoying himself and how well he was doing. So after the hour was over, he came in and we all had hot chocolate and a snack. Brendan took him up the chair lift and down the big hill TWICE! Crazy - there isn't much weirder than watching your little 3 year old go up the chair lift - he looked so tiny! But when they came zooming around the corner at the end of the slope there was no doubt that Aidan was having the time of his life!

My view from the very WARM lodge - Aidan is in the middle with the blue and yellow jacket and the orange hat:Brendan and Aidan coming down the big hill - that's tiny little Aidan on the right!Warming up after skiing in the jacuzzi in our condo:

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! The kids had a great Christmas. Aidan is old enough to understand the concept of Christmas and look forward to it and Emmy is old enough to understand that there were a whole lot of new toys. My family was in town and we have been very busy so I will try to get more pictures up soon. Here are a sampling:
My dad, brother, mom, sister, Aidan, me, Emmy and Brendan:Darth Aidan:Emmy LOVES hats of any kind:
Emmy on Christmas morning:Aidan on Christmas morning:

Emmy LOVES Jelly!!

Christmas at HRC

Brendan's building had their kids' Christmas party 2 weeks ago. It was really fun especially since Aidan got to spend some quality time with Santa before the party. Santa is friends with Brendan's boss, MG Byrne, so we got to hang out with him VIP style before the big party. Emmy was not so fond of Santa and started screaming when he walked in the room so this picture is as close as she would get to him - note the candy cane - the only thing keeping her from having a complete aneurism.

Aidan's got it now

Good news is that I'm totally better - bad news is that Aidan started throwing up tonight an hour before the babysitter was supposed to get here. So no Christmas party - I'm really disappointed but relieved that it didn't start an hour after we left!

Why Do We Always Get Sick in December???

Emmy and I have come down with horrible stomach bugs. She started 3 nights ago throwing up about every 30 minutes or so until there was nothing left. More disgusting ailments have followed that I will leave up to your imagination. Last night I started throwing up and I can now understand why Emmy wailed before she threw up each time - the most horrible stabbing stomach pains I have experienced (while not in labor) give you about 10 seconds head start to the toilet - I am dreading if Aidan gets this - there is no way he'll be able to not throw up all over the house. Ugh - and there is nothing worse than trying to take care of sick kids while you are also sick - especially with the knowledge that Brendan is leaving for a week on Sunday and I have soooo much to do for Christmas. Leaving the house is out of the question so I'm not sure how things that need to be mailed are going to get out. Let's hope no one else comes down with this - it's awful.

It's a GIRL!!

I got my 20 week ultrasound today and it's a girl! We are very excited and starting to think about a name. She is due May 2, 2009 - just a month before Emmy turns 2!

The Things We Do for Our Kids

Last weekend, before Brendan left for Afghanistan, we went to Sesame Street Live. This was on my list of "things that I never thought I would do in my life" but the kids had fun. The show was long - almost 2 hours - but there was NO bad behavior from my kids or any of the kids around us. They were all star struck by ELMO!They can't even pay attention for a picture:We had some errands to run at the mall afterwards. Here is Aidan in a great hat at L.L.Bean:

Trimming The Tree

Our tree this year is huge. It must be 10 or 11 feet tall and really wide at the base. It's a good thing our living room is big! The kids loved decorating the tree this year. Last year Aidan seemed bored by the whole thing and Emmy was only 6 months old. But this year Aidan showed Emmy all the ornaments and patiently showed her how to hang them on the tree, although he was a little distressed when she took them off again.

2008 Christmas Picture

We got Aidan and Emmy's Christmas picture taken today. I think it turned out really well despite Emmy's tongue hanging out! Sorry that it won't be a surprise to all the grandparents but it was so cute I had to share!

Stepping Out of the Dark (Ages)

Today was a very exciting day for me. I have been living with this ovenfor a year and a half. I believe it is original to the house which was built in 1960. It had no interior light, no clock, no timer and the temperature controls were hit or miss. 350 meant anything between 200 and 425 depending on the mood of the oven. This isn't such a big deal for long cooking things like turkeys but spells death to cookies since some batches burned in 5 minutes and some batches just melted.

We were having a hard time getting our landlords to replace it. They didn't seem to think that it's inability to cook things properly was a good enough reason to get a new one so I might have told a small lie involving someone in the house getting shocked by the oven...

This new one was installed today!I baked my first batch of cookies and they all cooked perfectly and evenly - just in time for Christmas cookies! Watch out Martha - here I come!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Our friends Jeff, Amy and Addy came to visit us for Thanksgiving. We had a great time and ate way too much food! This morning we got up early and went to Mt. Vernon since they started their Christmas season today. The kids had a great time looking at all the trees and played with the camel that was their to commemorate the camel that George Washington had at the estate in 1787. It was cute and very friendly - Aidan and the camel became friends very quickly.
Emmy and the Washingtons:A gingerbread reproduction of the Mt. Vernon Estate:Sitting on the front porch:Brendan and Emmy looking at the pigs:Addy, Aidan and Emmy enjoying the Children's Christmas Tree:Aidan and Aladin the camel:Jeff, Addy and Aidan with the camel:Everyone looking at the bulls:

Aidan's Thanksgiving Feast

Today Aidan's class had their Thanksgiving feast with the upstairs class. Aidan's class came dressed as Wampanoags and the upstairs kids were Pilgrims. The Wampanoags wore necklaces that they made as well as tie dyed head wraps - maybe more hippie than Native American!! Anyway - they were really cute and Emmy jumped right in. She grabbed an empty seat and helped herself to some food - adorable!
Aidan is in the front row - right side:Aidan is in the bottom left corner:Emmy on her way in to the feast - taggie in hand as always:

Post Halloween Costumes

Brendan found this cat costume for Emmy a few days before Halloween just in case it was really cold. She loves wearing it around the house and Aidan had to join in - although his costume is from 2 years ago and is TINY on him!

Great Falls

My parents have been here visiting for the past week and we went to Great Falls last weekend. It was really cold and a little windy but we had a good time and the kids enjoyed being outside running around.

Happy Halloween

Tonight was the big night! We went over to Will's house to trick or treat because they live in a nice quiet neighborhood with sidewalks! It was a nice night - low 60's - much different from the snowstorms of CO or the freezing cold Halloweens of my childhood. The kids were great and the big surprise of the night was how much Emmy LOVED trick or treating. Somehow she knew from the moment I handed her the treat bag that this was going to be good. She loved the chem lights that Brendan brought over and she walked all on her own to some of the houses. She was even saying "Happy Halloween" and "Trick or Treat" by the end of the night.All the kids heading out:Emmy couldn't get enough of getting her picture taken:Loving the chem lights:Venturing out all on her own:Aidan, Will and Will's friend, Sean:The boys with Will's sister, Maggie:Trick or Treating - notice Emmy is right up there!