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Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas 2009

Eddie and I were so excited for Christmas this year so we could share all the fun with Diego. He seemed excited about it too as we did our shopping, baked and decorated cookies and wrapped presents. I realized after I finished my shopping that next year I won't be able to shop for him while he's with me.

Here is our first "Santa" set up. The cute little Radio Flyer bike and helmet were actually from Grandma G.G. but they were a bit hard to wrap, so we threw them in. We had so much fun setting up and putting things together on Christmas eve!

On Christmas morning, we woke up to Diego saying "Merry Christmas Daddy" over the baby monitor. While you might think how adorable it is that he was saying this on Christmas morning, Eddie and I were in heaven because it was morning and he had slept in his own bed the whole night! Merry Christmas to US! He even layed back down for about 30 minutes and I jumped out of bed to warm up my very first batch of homemade Cinnamon Rolls (thanks to a great recipe from Rachel), bake a breakfast casserole and turn on the coffee! When Diego woke up again, Eddie picked him up to bring him downstairs and he was just so adorable. Every morning he says "downstairs please" immediately when we get him, but this morning he was jumping and could see the presents from Santa! He came down and said "oh look" to everything he saw. We dumped out his stocking and played for a bit, and decided we should try to open some of the wrapped presents, but he wanted nothing to do with it! So, we played for an hour or so, then he decided it was time to open more presents.

After spending the morning at home and taking a nice nap, we headed over to Auntie Erica and Uncle Bryan's house for some more Christmas fun! Diego loves to go to "Erica's House" and play with Hank, Via and Jag. Hank had a great time helping Diego open presents and we all had fun just enjoying each other's company and relaxing. We had a great dinner (thanks Erica and Bryan) and a great time!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Cinnamon Bear Cruise

We bought tickets for the Cinnamon Bear Cruise on the Portland Spirit last year, but the weather was super icy and we couldn't make it, so we went this year. I have to say, I'm glad we waited a year. I think Diego really really enjoyed the show and the ride. We enjoyed snacks, a nice boat ride, and visiting the characters on the boat. Diego was not scared of the characters at all! In fact, he walked right up and high fived the Cinnamon Bear. There was some down time where he had to be entertained while in a high chair (it gets exhausting chasing this boy around), but we passed the time with candy and drawing with a pen (which he just loved and constantly asks to do now). Here are Diego and Jag on the Cinnamon Bear's lap. Diego is wiggling himself down so he can run away laughing. This is the second time he was on the Cinnamon Bear's lap. The first time, he was the first in line and sat down on the Bear's lap and immediatelly grabbed his crotch. The whole audience erupted in laughter. Those are the proud moments we will treasure forever.



Visiting Santa

We were invited to visit Santa at our friend Sarah's house last night. Diego and I went to check in out and I was hoping to get a good picture of him with the Silverton Santa. This Santa looks like the real deal. He has REAL white hair and a real white beard. He also has a gorgeous suit and really enjoys talking to kids. Santa took some time to talk about what happens on Christmas Eve and answer many questions from the kids. He sang carols with them and read them The Night Before Christmas too.
We've learned that Diego really isn't a shy child. He was walking around the room to kids he didn't know just sort of chatting or holding his toy cell phone to their ear. They all loved it, even Santa. And when Diego climbed on the chair behind Santa and jumped off, Santa looked at me and asked if he was about 2. I laughed and said yes. He said, "He's not being naughty, he's just being 2. He will still get something nice from Santa for Christmas." I was shocked that Diego was not at all scared of Santa. He even layed on the floor next to him while he spoke to the other kids. Everyone thought that was hilarous! He sat on Santa's lap twice. Once for some pictures and once so Santa could give him a bag of goodies. I had told him earlier in the day that Santa would be giving him some candy, so he said "Santa, Candy!" After he got down with the bag of goodies, he said "Oh Thank You Santa." It was soooo cute! He also really loved Santa's Jingle Bells!
Diego and Auntie Erica
Here he is just Chillin next to Santa playing with the toy cell phone.
Santa is saying "I wish I could still do that!"


Even though he's not looking at the camera, I still think this is a great picture of Diego with Santa! I was just happy there were no tears!




Monday, December 14, 2009

Play Soccer!


As part of our MOMS Club activities, each month we have an "All About" activity. In December, it was all about Soccer. We visited an indoor soccer center here in Salem and had an hour to run around. They did have some coaches there, but the little ones were free to run around as long as they weren't disrupting. Diego had a GREAT time! As you see in the video, he figured out how to kick the ball (he hadn't done this before) and also said "Play Soccer". After our hour at the soccer center, he came home and slept for 3 hours. We will probably sign up for Soccer Tots after he turns 2!


Helmet!

Diego is always talking about Daddy's helmet, and see's him in it every day when he leaves for work. So he recently decided he needed a helmet while riding his motorcycle in the house, and here is what he came up with!

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a really nice and relaxing Thanksgiving this year. Eddie decided he would really like to deep fry the turkey, and it turned out to be MUCH easier and much safer than we both had expected. Here is Eddie waiting around outside for the oil in the fryer to heat up. And once the oil heated....40 minutes later we had a perfectly browned, perfectly cooked, moist, delicious 14 pound turkey! Yes, it only took 40 minutes to cook!Here is the table. Not really Martha Stewart, but perfect just for us. We originally planned to have just the three of us, but the Kofoids ended up joining us for dinner. I really enjoyed making all the "traditional" side dishes and we all enjoyed eating them!





Thursday, December 10, 2009

Christmas Tree 2009

This year we decided to get a HUGE Christmas tree because the new house has a PERFECT Christmas tree spot with bay windows and all. I really enjoy decorating the tree, but what I forgot to think about was the almost 2 year old who now is In. To. Everything. He was in LOVE with the tree, the ornaments and the lights. By the time Christmas actually rolled around the tree was only 1/2 decorated (from the middle up) and he was constantly turning the lights on and off and yanking on the needles. Not mention all the toys he thought needed to "get in" the tree, and sometimes he wanted to climb in himself. I loved that he was so interested in the tree, but I was always paranoid he would pull it over on to himself or something! We also couldn't put any presents under the tree, which made Christmas morning that much more of a surprise for him! The day after Christmas I drug this monster out of the house all by myself. I was just ready. It wasn't too bad, except all the water that spilled on my nice soft carpet. Oh well, it only took 2 days to dry. Lesson learned.











We woke up this morning hearing Diego say "Merry Christmas Daddy" over the baby monitor.