Birthday revisited

Our little girl celebrated another birthday last weekend.  I can't believe the little baby in the picture frame is the very same girl staring back at us with those beautiful bright big brown eyes.  We still can't believe how lucky we are to be parents to two great beautiful children.  

Ava showing how old she is now.

Sebastian was such a great big brother.  He didn't complain when Ava got birthday presents so close after Christmas.  We didn't get any pictures of Sebastian on the ice because he was skating so well and I don't think Michael could catch him with the lens.  

Our Christmas Story 2010

The annual letters to Santa.  Sebastian helped Ava write her letter :-)

Ava helping Mom Mom decorate her tree by making sure some of the ornaments made it to the back of the tree.

We got into the holiday spirit by driving through a state park to look at the holiday light displays.

Michael's company holiday party.  The theme was 50's, 60's and 70's night.  Some people came decked out to their era.

And then you have folks who got dressed up (Michael with his coworkers and spouses).

I was trying to get into the picture with Dean Martin ;-)

Ava made her first ginger bread house with Aunt Janet.

I originally didn't want to put up our Christmas tree this year since we were traveling to PA three weekends in a row.  Sebastian expressed his disappointment and I caved in to the "guilts."

Our first fire in the fireplace.  We had a gas fireplace in our old house in PA so we finally get to enjoy a wood burning fireplace after 9 years.

On the way back to Mom Mom's and Pop Pop's for the holidays.  Ava held onto her giant Princess teapot the entire car ride.  She got it at her gift exchange at school.

Christmas eve.

Santa's helper?

You can see the feet from the other helper.  I snapped this shot right when Jacco moved and this was the result.  I call him the canine ghost of Christmas past.  

The kids waiting very patiently on Christmas morning.  Pop Pop and Jacco went out for their EARLY morning walk.  We went to bed when it was dark and got up when it was dark.

Christmas Part 2 - at Grandmom's house.  Ava's first spa kit.

Christmas dinner at Uncle Mike's and Aunt Carol's house.  The Grandmothers catching up.

Christmas Part 3 - back at the townhouse after Christmas weekend in PA.

Look Mom....Santa left us stockings!

Michael's Dad came to visit during the week between Christmas and New Years.  We spent a day in Washington DC to see the  Spy museum and Chinatown.

Mom...there are strange people sleeping on our sofa!  ;-)

A New Year

Yes, we are still alive.  We survived the holidays and welcomed the new year just relaxing with family members.  Michael's Dad, Brother and brother's girlfriend visited with us and helped us ring in the new year in our townhouse.  Sebastian only lasted until 11 p.m. and Ava was out by 8 p.m.

The "Why's"

We got another dusting of snow on Thursday so the schools had a two hour delay on Friday morning.  Ava walked into the bathroom while I was applying my make up.  This was the face that was staring back at me for 20 minutes.

Ava is at that age where everything and anything is questionable.  Her favorite question is "WHY?"  One of her questions this morning was why I was putting makeup on with an eye "broom" (instead of brush).  It's funny, but true....why do they call it a brush when it doesn't look like a brush at all.  It does look like a miniature broom ;-)

Ava asked why she sees three Ava's      :-)

Santa Baby!

On Sunday morning we took the kids out to breakfast before visiting Santa at the mall.  This has become our family tradition for the past three years.  Although this year, I didn't want to put up a Christmas tree in the townhouse because we would only be home for one weekend in December.  But Sebastian begged us to put one up.  Here is Ava posing in front of the tree.

Here is Michael giving Sebastian a lecture on setting an "example" and being a big brother.  Sebastian was scaring Ava by telling that Santa was really a monster in disguise.  She didn't need any encouragement.  She's already terrified of the Easter Bunny, Frosty the Snowman and the Red Robin (restaurant mascot)?

Here is Ava clinging on to Daddy for dear life. 

I was laughing as I took this picture.  This was the Santa line behind us.  Sebastian was already complaining he was BORED five minutes into waiting in line to see Santa.  All the kids were pre-occupied with phones, iPads, eBooks, video games, etc.  Sebastian was begging me for my iPhone.  If he's not busy for five minutes, he gets "bored".  I guess GI Joe's and action figures are not on his wish list since they require "imagination"!

The Santa visit went well as long as big brother was sitting beside her.  Sebastian carried Ava to "make up" for the Santa scare earlier.

Ava tried on this hat to humor her Mommy.