oh, yes…another busy weekend

12/18/09
12/18/09
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

We played with Cora and Anela at the park on Friday morning–Dylan loved going down the big, long slide and “fixing the lollipop machine” (which was really a climb-able post holding up part of the play structure)! He also volunteered to give Cora a push on the tire swing!

Later that night, Taliana came over (with Heather and Assaf) for a simple pasta dinner (still using our canned tomatoes from our big San Marzano haul!), a holiday movie viewing (“A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Frosty the Snowman”) and more tree decorating (the kids hung candy canes on the branches!).


Uncle Steve, kid magnet
Uncle Steve, kid magnet
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

On Saturday, Uncle Steve got married — we’ve known each other since high school and it was an honor to witness their exchange of vows! He was also kind enough to let us bring the kids and, luckily, they were both incredibly well-behaved. Even Steve’s new mom-in-law came by to tell us how impressed she was by them! Cameron didn’t make a peep during the ceremony and Dylan entertained himself well during the reception!


12/20/09
12/20/09
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

On Sunday, we checked out the toy trains at the Museum of Art and History. We met up with Karen and Eaen (a fellow train enthusiast) whom we haven’t seen since the boys turned 3!

At the exhibit, Dylan also got a chance to control the trains!


12/20/09
12/20/09
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Afterwards, we thought it might be nice to enjoy the gorgeous weather, so we took Dylan to the park where he could show his daddy how well he could slide down the big slide all by himself (we went to the same park we’d gone to on Friday).

It was a busy weekend to kick off a busy week!


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caroling

ready for caroling
ready for caroling
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Dylan went a-caroling with his preschool class (Tom didn’t make it back in time from work, so it was just Cameron and I who got to join him). He practiced the songs at home (spontaneously), but he didn’t do much singing while we were out there! He did ring his bell pretty enthusiastically during “Jingle Bells,” though!


caroling
caroling
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

We only made it to three houses, but at the last house, the mom and her son and daughter sang a couple of songs to us! Once back at the school, we enjoyed cookies and apple juice (and it was lucky that I’d thought to stop by Peet’s to get a vegan cookie for Dylan on my way out of the office)!


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Cameron is 18 weeks

12/13/2009
12/13/2009
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Cameron is 18 weeks and doing swimmingly! For the past few days, she’s just napped for a solid 3 hours while I’ve been putzing around at work. I still marvel at how easy she makes it for me! And now she’s beginning to laugh when I fake hiccup with her or put kisses on her little kili kilis (underarms)! She’s also beginning to “play” with Dylan more. He’ll get in her face and make some loud monstrous sound and she’ll start smiling. She’s now reaching for him, holding his hand and touching his face. Clothes sized for 6-month olds fit her perfectly while the 3-6month old size is now getting too snug! She’s growing crazy fast (and, yet, I’m so happy I can take her to work with me–she’s still so wee, I’m still reluctant to be apart from her for too long!)…!


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the final Story Time of 2009

Today was the last day of pre-schooler story time for 2009. They ended it with a sweet little Cookie Lighthouse-decorating party. Dylan thoroughly enjoyed participating (and he was so polite!) and, shocker, he didn’t want to eat a single cookie or piece of candy! Doesn’t the Lighthouse look great???


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halfway through Chanukah

12/15/2009
12/15/2009
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Actually, I think this was taken on the fifth night. I love how Dylan looks in this picture. He really loves watching the candles on the menorah and he looks deceptively calm and introspective!


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dylan’s 1K and our tree

dylan's swag
dylan’s swag
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

We began the morning with Dylan’s 8am 1K run at the second annual Toys for Tots Run. This is the longest run Dylan’s participated in–he was the youngest and the last to come in (but there were only 4 kids in the 6 and under group!), but he went the whole distance! Poor fella got distracted by an exuberant onlooker who cheered him on early in the run. He fell down and scraped his hands and we had to take some time to calm down. He was still crying when I asked him if he wanted to continue running and he said, “yes” (!) so off we went — him crying still, but jogging nonetheless!

Then he got tired, so we stopped to examine the slugs on the walkway…we talked about the river next to us, and we talked about this and that. At long last, we made it to the turnaround. By this time, he was really uninterested in running, so we chatted with the volunteer at the turnaround who told us hail nearly the size of golf balls were falling in Boulder Creek the night before (when there was a big storm)!


Finally, we made it to the finish where Tom and Cameron were waiting for us. Everyone was cheering him on and calling his name as he approached. It was very sweet!

Cameron was happy to see Dylan (as she often is), but as you can see, she was also very engrossed in her little carseat bugs….


tree farm day - 12/13/2009
tree farm day
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

After getting a post-run steamed soy milk, we went to two tree farms with Taliana et al. The first was a new one we’d heard about — they had a tire swing, a big wooden swing, a hammock and some fun-sounding kiddie activities, but the trees were small, so we left and continued on to Crest Ranch, our favorite place from years past, where we found beautiful trees immediately!

It was raining when we arrived at Crest Ranch, so I didn’t bring my camera along for the tree hunt, but amazingly, the rain stopped for the entire duration of our shopping! The kids were adorable. They helped each other haul one of the tree carts around and they held hands and just had a merry old time walking through the trees together! I was sad I didn’t have my camera, but I took some photos once we got back to our cars where we had hot apple cider and hot chocolate waiting for us.

After dropping off trees to our respective homes and doing some dinner prep, we reconvened at HAT’s house for a celebratory latke dinner with a small Chanukah gift exchange…post to come!


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celebrating Chanukah at HAT’s house

menorahs
menorahs
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Tom was still recovering from a horrible tummy bug, so Heather and Assaf hosted our Chanukah celebration this year and we pared down the latke offerings. Tom made the latke mix (straight russet potato latkes this time) and I cooked them up at Heather and Assaf’s house. I also made some more of the glazed carrots and pecans I’d made for Thanksgiving while Heather made string beans and haroset (because we like it!).

As you can see, we also lit the menorahs. From left to right, it’s our menorah, the menorah Taliana made, Heather and Assaf’s, and Dylan’s wooden one.


"For Dylan, Happy Chanukah!"
"For Dylan, Happy Chanukah!"
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

After eating and lighting the menorahs, we did a little Chanukah gift exchange…just small presents. This was good prelude to the Xmas celebration to come; Dylan got pretty good at unwrapping presents! And, he surprised us this Chanukah by telling us his menorah was a Hannukeah! I’m not sure where he learned that from, but perhaps Tom knows…!


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17 weeks

12/07/2009
12/07/2009
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

As you can see, Cameron is starting to sit up on her own. She also managed to roll over (from tummy to back) once. We’re waiting for a repeat performance!

She’s been going to the office with me since I started back at work. When we’re there, she’s awesome. In the Ergo, she’ll pretty much just nap for a good 2.5 to 3 hours! Once she wakes up, I pack it up and work from home for the day.

Next week, though, we’re going to try a new nanny, a woman who was recommended by a co-worker of mine who employed her for a whopping 8 years! Cristina has all good things to say, so I’m optimistic.


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dylan in action

Here’s a shot of Dylan at gymnastics last week! The owners just expanded the gym and got some new equipment, so in preparation for their grand opening (which we attended this past Saturday), Coach June had a photographer come in to take some pictures. Since we were there, Dylan got into a couple of shots, and the photographer was kind enough to email me the photos she took of Dylan….


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dylan goes back to school

ready to roll!
ready to roll!
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

It was cold as heck today (stayed in the high 40s) so Dylan surprised me by donning his hat (thanks once more to Auntie Julie for getting this for him ages ago!). He’s not usually a hat person, but since Cameron was wearing her hat, he decided he wanted to be “twins” and wear one, too!

Today was also Dylan’s first day back to MWF afternoons at the preschool. I’d warned him that he’d be going after gymnastics, but he was still kind of surprised when we arrived and he didn’t initially want to go. As soon as I reminded him I had to go into the office, though, he very agreeably got out of the car!

p>Since I started back to work last Wednesday, I’ve been taking Cameron into the office with me. Today, we had the best day of this trial: she napped until 3:30pm! I can only hope these kids continue to make things so “easy!”


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