Saddest pictures EVER! (And a surprise)

E. wanted to hold the camera and threw a monster fit - so being the cruel and awful mother that I am I took pictures of the entire event. Get ready for the saddest pictures ever!!!!








I originally got the camera out so I could take pictures of that wild head of hair. I wanted a nice before set of pictures to have before this next set of pictures. Yes, we finally cut off his golden curls. I nearly cried! I've cut my hair in all kinds of crazy ways and never cried but as I was cutting off all that gorgeous hair I was a little heart broken. My little baby looks like a big boy now. He's just such a little lady-killer now!

Christmas for a 2 year old.

So perhaps you're getting sick of the massive amount of pictures that I've been putting up here lately but we've been picture happy and a little prideful when it comes to how cute E. is so just deal with it.

Christmas Eve we started a new tradition in these parts of decorating some cookies for Santa. We've been on the fence about what to do with E. and the big man. I don't actually remember believing in Santa when I was young (I think that just comes from having 8 older siblings-- someone told me along the way I'm sure). M. on the other hand has a very tragic and heartbreaking elf story from when he was in middle school (M. Edit: elementary school!)--ask him about it, it's terribly sad. And of course, there's the encounter of a young teenager I met on my mission who even though he was a tough player/ jock/ pretty boy he had a devastating and crushing realization at 16 that Santa doesn't exist. His parent's went so far as to have his Dad dress up as Santa, run by the kid's window then climb up into his own bedroom and into bed before he came down the hall to announce his discovery. The poor kid couldn't speak to his parents for months after the melt down. Can you imagine?

So anyway, we've been on the fence as to exactly what we would tell E. about this tradition. Though, this year as I explained a little bit about Santa and what he was going to bring for him I couldn't help but carry on with the story because he was so excited! I can see now where the "magic of Christmas" surrounding Santa comes from. It really was so adorable. He is officially a huge fan of Santa - though he didn't exactly want to sit on his lap this year, we'll try again next year. So - needless to say, Santa came to our home this year and brought us treats and goodies and a train table. We left him cookies and E. was delighted to see them gone the next morning. It really was sweet.

Here is E. with his signature "Don't take my picture, I'm busy" look as he's frosting his cookies for Santa.

M's creepy GingerFrankenman.

Santa's beautiful cookies that we left for him.

This is a perfect depiction of E.'s interest in this project. He decorated for a bit and then mostly sat and ate the sprinkles.

E' got some new Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve as well. He's dancing, showing them off.

E's stocking from Santa. We just took it down this morning but it has been days of fun for him to search through.

"What is that?"

Presents galore!

He's actually saying "THOMAS!!!!" in this shot! He was very excited about all his Thomas loot.

The new train table and E.'s "hurry and take the picture!" face.

These were taken a few days earlier when E. opened his Toby train - it was the hit of Christmas I think.

OK, if this isn't the cutest video in the world then I have lost my mind but I think it's the cutest thing ever! I hope you all had a lovely holiday and that they continue to be wonderful!

Gingerbreading

After our amazing adventures in Chicago we came back to our quiet little home and made gingerbread houses. I think we're going to try and go pro after these attempts - what do you think?

E. squeezing the frosting to get it ready for our work.

The clan of gingerbreaders.

E. taking a ceremonial bite of his house.

He was so good at decorating the roof - he ate half of the candy we gave him but that's what gingerbread housing is all about right? I nearly ate the other half myself.

Mia is so intense in this shot - I love it!

Mia's finished project.

The rest of us butchered this poor house.

Voila! Happy Christmas everyone!

Chi-town (as Mia would say)

Alright folks - here you have it, a play-by-play (with full participant commentary) of our Chicago trip.

Wendy - You have to start every stay in a hotel by watching a little Scooby-Doo right? E. had never seen it before and is hooked, we had to get him some books from the library because he loved it. When I asked him if he liked it he said "Kinda scary though, but like it." Note: he said this with a slightly disgusted look on his face - I guess he's like his mom, I'm a sucker for monsters.
M. - Actually it was Jersey Shore.
Mia - Ethan's thoughts: "That's right pal - I rule this roost!"
E. - I watch Scooby-Doo.
Wendy - Tia Mia, E. and I chillin' at Due, a Chicago pizzeria. We forgot to take a picture of the pizza but seriously - someone should have told us that you can only eat one piece of Chicago style pizza before you feel like you're going to blow up! It was so delicious but we all wanted to roll over and sleep for a week after eating. Sheesh- alish!
M. - Somebody did tell you - ME! But you wanted the large one anyway.
Mia - Like always, M. comes up with lies because that's what he always does. Anyway, that's beside the point - can you tell how cold it was by the amount of scarves everyone is wearing - inside?
E. - Next one Mama!
Wendy - Ahhh...the fam.
M. - Ahh, hat hair.
Mia - Do you all like my blond due? Oh wait, that's Wendy not me. Moving on.
E. - Ha, hey!
Wendy - I don't actually know what is going on with this picture but M. really likes it and insisted that it be put up here. All I know is that I look like this but with blond hair.
M. - I got nothin'.
Mia - Creepy Damon-like child (as in Rosemary's baby).
E. - Where's E. in the picture? Right here!
Wendy - Bundled like little bugs. Cute.
M. - I obviously had too much to drink.
Mia - When did I become a foot taller than M.?
E. - He's a-sittin' in the stroller.

Wendy - We bundled E. up because it was ridiculously cold! He hated it but after the first few minutes when his little nose and cheeks started to burn from how cold it was - he gave in. Poor kid, we got all kinds of looks like we were crazy but hey - the pizza was worth it!
M. - "WABASH!"
Mia - Adorable.
E. - "WABASH!"
Wendy - I know you're already seen a picture of this bundle job but seriously - look at the pole in the background - what's on there? Or rather, who's on there? It's nasty!
M. - Apparently Mia had too much to drink.
Mia - Another day in Chicago.
E. - Playin' in that picture, like me.

Wendy - Strolling the streets like we're cool.
M. - Minutes before Mike D'Antoni blessed Ethan after we found him walking along Michigan Ave. (FYI - M. stared at him in shock and couldn't talk to him.)
Mia - You best be believin' we're cool.
E. - (Lost interest, no more commentary).


Wendy - They have this train display set up at the bottom of the John Hancock building and I think E. could have spent the rest of his life there staring at those trains. He was so disappointed when we had to go eat and even more so when we had to leave for good. He was so happy - it made the cold and long walk more than worth it.
M. - Notice Harry Potter floating in the corner.
Mia - E's depiction of heaven.
Wendy - Running to the next display!
M. - Quality Powershot photo.
Mia - Actually going to tackle a kid too close to his trains.

Wendy - Seriously, it doesn't get more adorable than that. He is my favorite thing in the world - what a stud!
M. - "If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it..."
Mia - Too cute, it was torture to make him leave.

Wendy - "Chi-town" as Mia lovingly calls it. This is a view (courtesy of M. and his photography skills) from the John Hancock building. Nice pic "sir".
M.- Notice Harry Potter floating in the corner.
Mia - I will totally live there one day.
Wendy - Thank you to whoever thought that kids stuck up there with their parents would like to sit and color while their parents look out the windows. E. was so bored - thank goodness for these crayons, they bought me a few minutes to enjoy the view.
M. - 96 floors up - time to draw some hippos.
Mia - What you all don't know is that we took a family photo that was green-screened and then they place you in front of popular Chicago backgrounds. So with my green sweater I was only a floating head with a sea of fuzz beneath me. So E. was doing his Tia a favor and coloring in her shirt.
E. - Thank you Buffy.
Wendy - Just cute right?
M. - "Haha! Here's my nephew's belly!" -- Mia
Mia - Wendy, you jerk!!! Why did you put that picture on here?!?!?!?!
Wendy - E. found this chair and climbed up to eat his "fwoot leather". It's gotta feel nice when you find something that fits you nicely. Our world just isn't made for those little bodies.
M. - "Don't bother me."
Mia - He was waiting for a martini too. (I don't have anything better.)

Wendy - Waiting, slightly impatiently, for our food. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and E. was so ready to be done and get out of there. Poor little man! Seriously big nostrils.
M. - (Mia, you thief!) Apparently the Cheesecake only plays Manilow.
Mia - "If you want to view paradise..."
Wendy - Again with the sweet bean photography skills - cool shot M.
M. - Eat your heart out Donald Trump.
Mia - Hard core John Hancock. I can see Batman throwing himself off the top of the building.
E. - M.! Hurry!
Wendy - Again, walkin' the streets tryin' not to look too much like tourists.
M. - Because you know Chicagoans like to pose in front of Macy's trumpets.
Mia - Strollin' into Macy's.
Wendy - We had to go into Macy's at Christmas time. It was really beautiful, made from an old church and all of these amazing decorations everywhere. Don't forget my "oh-so-happy to have a camera in my face" expression. Thanks M.
M. - This is what E'. sees when he looks around.
Mia - Looks like the string of Christmas balls are attached to my head - again, thanks M.
Wendy - M. and Mia ventured to the bean while E. and I waited ever so patiently in a stinky locker-room/ bathroom next to a man (who I unfortunately suspect to be slightly crazy) eating massive quantities of sugar. 1 bag of gumdrops, 1 large bottle of coke, 2 coffee's and a bag of goods he hadn't gotten to yet. I hope it was worth it you two! Check out M.'s cheesy grin.
M. - Definitely not tourists.
Mia - "If you want to..." Just kidding folks.
Wendy - More "Bean" shots by M. Looks like dementors.
M. - This is what Mia sees when she looks around.
Mia - Sadly he's right - it's what one of my personalities sees.
Wendy - A shot of McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millenium Park. It was so Christmasy and full of cheer - Mia almost couldn't hold back from dancing onto the ice!
M. - This is too easy.
Mia - If you look closely at the top left hand building you will see me doing a triple solcal.
Wendy - Oh Mia!
M. - Just like she did with her Emilio Estavez poster.
Mia - I guess he's tall enough for me. Da dun dun chh.

**If you made it through this post, reading all the commentary you are either very brave, or very bored. I hope you enjoyed our commentary on our fabulous trip to Chicago.