Christmas

Christmas came with a whole lot of craziness this year. We closed on our new house just four days before Christmas and only found out that we were for sure closing a couple days before that. So it was filled with moving boxes, moving boxes and more moving boxes. We got the big stuff into our new house the day before Christmas Eve and Rob went over the night before and set up a Christmas tree. Ava was thrilled because I had calmed her previous concerns about Santa not finding us by telling her that Santa can find anyone that puts up a Christmas tree. So amidst half unpacked boxes and completely bare bedrooms we had our first Christmas in what hopes to be our home for the long haul.

Ava spent much of the moving days playing in this "secret closet" under the stairs.

Ava's first gingerbread house

Ornaments: shiny AND tasty!

Sewing on Christmas Eve. Procrastinator!

Rob was on wrapping duty

I realized I have no pictures of Charlotte unwrapping presents because she was not very interested in the whole process.  We did take video but no pictures.  Guess that's what happens with number two, poor thing.

Santa Claus

Ava's preschool had Santa come in one morning before school started so I took the girls for a visit. Charlotte got plopped in Santa's lap and Ava stood as close as I could get her. Both acted a little like I was putting them near the boogeyman but I got pictures anyway.

I'm not sure what Santa said but apparently it didn't please Ava

Ava's Letter to Santa

(Dictated by Ava. Written by Mom.)

Dear Santa-
I want a real doggy.  And a pillow pet. I've been a good girl. I love crayons. I love pink, yellow & purple. You have to be reverent.  I've been loud a little bit. I want two stuffed animals. I want Charlotte to have a real new baby that makes noise and jumps.
From
Ava


Dear Santa-
Ava wants a dog and I want a maid.  I fear we are both going to be disappointed.  Ava would like a pilow pet of the lady bug variety.  I would like a pillow of the magic variety that allows me to wake refreshed and energized every morning despite the fact that my sleep was interrupted 12 times between 10 pm and 7 am.  Ava loves crayons.  Can you get her the kind that scrubs easily off grout. And walls. And clothing.  And do they make stuffed animals that sing children to sleep? If so, I'll take two of those.  And how about a machine that folds and puts away laundry.  With all the advances made in toys over the years you'd think your elves could figure that one out.  All the best.  I'll put out extra cookies for the reindeer.
From
Abby 

Mary who?

Some friends of ours sent us this Christmas card this week:

When Ava picked it up off the counter she said "Mom look at this picture. Soooooo cute."  I said "That's Mary." To which she replied "But mom, Mary had a little lamb."  Hmmmmmm different Mary.

These guys love each other...............................

And I love that!

We did stuff this summer: Happy Birthday to Rob!

Rob turned 33 this year!  We celebrated.  Ava picked out a huge card for him and a few presents.  In her own words "I got him a jump rope because he likes to exercise, a shark because he likes to watch sharks on t.v. and a football because he likes football and watching football on t.v." 

The giant card Ava gave Daddy

Ava's presents

Twins?

  

No way!  They look completely different to me.

We did stuff this summer: The Big Apple (ridiculous amount of pics)

Every year in August, Rob gets asked by the firm to go out and recruit at Columbia. We decided to make it a tradition to go with him and make sure that we get at least one trip a year to NYC because we love NYC. Lucky for us, this time when we went, our friends The Harrisons had just moved there for work so we were able to spend time with them and their cutie pie daughter. We also watched an outdoor movie with the Hudson river as the backdrop and my friend Monica watched the girls one morning so I could spend some time alone in Chinatown and trek down to Rice to Riches, my favorite treat place ever!


At Riverflicks



Waiting for the movie to start

Ava admiring the view from our hotel window

Ava admiring the morning view from our window

Street Fair!!!  One of my favorite things about NYC

Brooklyn Bridge

B. Bridge

Ava at the new imagination playground.

Building away

Don't mess with me, I'm busy

Her creation

Ava and Elle at the Museum of Natural History

The water park above the museum

C enjoying the water park too

Poop discovery as we tried to get family pics where Rob and I took our engagement photos

Take one

Take two (the couple on the left does not belong to us)

Bathtime after playing in the mud at Central Park

Elle loves Rob

Staten Island Ferry (see the Statue in the background)

Ava loved the subway

Children's museum of Manhattan

Dad and Charlie at the museum

Ava with Alfie the Dragon

Ava dancing with the alien at Mars 2112

The alien flirting with Rob

Charlie and the alien

Times Square

Both girls pooped out after a long, fabulous trip