Tag Archives: Christmas

Boxing Day 2018

Shenanigans with pa before brunch

Ready for ma’s special french toast

Three cousin peas in a pod

“My monkey!”

Des opening his present from ma and pa- a “fort building” set that’s effectively a life-size set of tinker toys

Everyone gets a UNO Mavs hat, though Ella’s has big googly eyes

And quite possibly her favorite, a (kids themed) duck call

“QUACK!”

Ella and Margaret taking a nap

Chilling like a mermaid

R2-D2 minifig, dad’s inner child is a little jealous

Feeding her baby after mom lends her diapering expertise

And again.

Although she’s becoming an increasingly active sleeper as well

Christmas 2018

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a Max

The stockings were laying by the presents with care

When, what to Des’ wondering eyes should appear…

Ella knew in a moment it must have been St. Nick.

Desmond and Eleanor listen as mom reads Santa’s thank you letter for having left out the pretzels and carrots (for the reindeer, of course) with (almond) eggnog 

Eleanor mines her stocking for the next surprise

…and last, a navel orange!!

Sporting her fancy new red glitter clippy (great-grandma Jane would so approve), Ella volunteers to unpack dad’s stocking

Eleanor either steals or instinctively stows dad’s gifted jar of Huey Fong Chili Garlic Sauce (thank you, dear Billy–and Santa) in the pantry

“An orange!”

Eleanor’s “covering random objects with blankets and putting them to sleep” game is seriously upgraded with a new baby crib

A recent evolution to the family tradition of a post-stocking pretzel snack, Ella and Desmond crack open their package of craisins

Where’s Waldo? Dunno, but another generation is now searching through a crowded beach for the bespeckled and red/white scarf-wearing adventurer

Baby’s first lego set

“Backpack! Backpack! Butterfly! Backpack!”

Not sure if he’s more excited about Yoda’s hut on Dagobah, or that he now has an R2-D2 minfig

Showing off his new underwear, as you do

Present-opening collaboration for the new sushi set

Des opens Robot Turtles– an educational experience in computer science masquerading as a fun kids game

Santa is real- he got Desmond a real “remote-controlled dinosaur” (yes, apparently it’s a real thing)

Eleanor feeds her new baby

Looking over dad’s exciting new record addition- a translucent green (!) copy of A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio

And lastly, a new remote-controlled car

“Here son, let me help you with that.” Hard to tell who’s having more fun…

Eleanor is curious what this magical dinosaur robot is all about

Des drawing on the 21st-century equivalent of the etch-a-sketch

Yes, Ella is fairly excited about Christmas thus far

Where is that Waldo?

Ella modeling her new/first clip-on earings

Instantly his new favorite pajamas

Lego airplane from grandma

Perusing Cal’s new ninja turtle book

Shenanigans with grandma

The yeti is now indeed in the spaghetti

“I’ll give you [Eleanor], the Founder of the feast!”

Ella trying to start another verse of “Baby Shark”

A round (literally a parade around the table) of cheers

Everyone finds a cuddle buddy at the end of the night, drifting off to sleep with visions of sugar-plums dancing in their heads…

Christmas Eve 2018

In an effort to take more sibling photos on holidays, dad learns the kids have effectively two modes: first, “stoic disinterest-”

Followed by the “we’re (energetically) done cooperating” pose, wherein Eleanor tries to lick Desmond

Christmas Eve, 2018

At great-grandma Jan’s house for Christmas Eve dinner, Des hangs out in the basement with all the other kids. Although he’s the only one young enough to be pre-occupied by the (now vintage) Fisher Price barn and parking garage toys

Ella ready for some of ma’s soup. Probably the last great-grandchild to sit in this chair for a while, and definitely her last year

Hang on! Cruising around in the treadmill car

Enough with the backseat driving, Ella wants her turn at the wheel

Christmas 2017

Walking downstairs Christmas morning to see that Santa had arrived

…and ate the pretzel left out for him the night before. And the reindeer somehow ate most of each petite carrot, but left just enough crumbs behind to remind the faithful of the plate’s original content. Christmas magic.

Eleanor, either happy about the orange in her stocking, or just excited to be awake

“Mom, can you open both of these like right now?”

R2-D2 and Stormtrooper plushies for the win (in hand going to sleep most nights since)

Desmond presses forward, Eleanor pit stops with a pouch

TWO oranges? Woah!

Pretzel break.

Desmond opening his first gift from Santa, a barn puzzle!

Sister opening her very own set of crayons

Beyond excited to tug at bows and rip paper

Sometimes you just need take a breather

Brother and sister opening Chutes and Ladders together. These two <3

Des modeling his new Cars robe

This time, the injustice was her inability to get her new forks out of their packaging instantly

Trial run with the new spoon- it works.

Desmond surveying the pair of new LEGO Junior sets (brilliant product, by the way)

Des and his new big boy camera

Christmas lunch with great-grandma Kathy

Cousin Viv supervising the first lego build, Des happily the assistant builder

Viv carefully studying the build instructions

…though occasionally pausing for a photo shoot as Liam puts Des’ new camera through the paces

Upon returning home for nap time, Desmond felt his new Lightning McQueen lego car need to be tucked in for a nap as well

Desmond and Cal continuing the Christmas cheer

Eleanor walking over to mom, and judging from the look on grandma’s face, the first time she saw Eleanor take more than three steps. At 13 months, Ella is practicing more persistently than her brother, who after initially discovering his walking ability, shelved it until a few months later

Squeaker/shaker toys… for babies!

Grandma and Des, reading his new book Here We Are

Aunt Kellie, grandma Anne and dad’s first Christmas together in seven years!

Grandma offering structural engineering advice

Snoopy Bob Cratchit watching after the house, it was so fulfilling to enjoy the first Christmas together as a foursome. Complete.

December 24th, 2017

Up early for one of our favorite traditions, pretzels in the making

Who doesn’t love to smash a good egg yoke?

Sugar bae

“Hi mom!”

Des holding his prize possession in the cart seat, as you do

Pa enticing Eleanor to play her favorite game- adult hopping! Doesn’t look like great-uncle Pat is having it

Happy, mere moments before pulling on that towel in the background and nearly braining herself with the pull-down cabinet door. A few tears, but barely a mark. 1960’s safety technology at work.

Des staring down a bowl of ma’s transcendent cream of artichoke soup

Pictured: a rare glimpse of what has come to be known as the “Shriek of Justice!” (an homage to The Princess Bride): a high-pitched warning horn Ella sounds at the faint smell of unfairness. This will all get easier when she acquires language skills, right?

Desmond in his fancy argyle sweater, playing with great-grandma Jan’s toys that have stood the test of time

Cousin hugs/patience

Mom just kinda put it on her finger and walked away. It took a few minutes…

Eleanor witnessing the gift exchange shenanigans first-hand

O Tannenbaum…

December 23rd, 2017

Eleanor more than happy to rip into the wrapping paper, with the help of Buddy and Callie

Ella is ready to mash buttons, though this one won’t dial 9-1-1 

Pa helping Desmond figure out his fancy new water bottle

The Christmas ornament from ma just happened to have Darth Vader’s voice at the press of a button- his new favorite, clearly

“Talking” on her new phone is fun, but just not enough to let go of that empty lens filter box

Cousins and ma figuring out the new game. It’s like a horizontal, spring-loaded jenga?

Christmas 2016

Christmas morning began at 6:47am. Des wasn’t quite ready to start the day, so he lounged in mom and dad’s bed for a while, then watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the third time this season while the lightning storm passed. About an hour later, he was ready to shuffle downstairs and see what Santa brought. Or go get a pretzel.

All things “rocket ship!”

Des balanced being very thankful with wonder and distraction. About right for a toddler.

Eleanor slept through most of the morning activities, but woke up in time for breakfast

Desmond was most enthralled by his new train set

Assembling and reassembling, then further reassembling

After waking up from his nap at ma and pa’s house, Des was ready for round two. Proudly holding the R2-D2 ornament from aunt Megan, Viv, and Liam’s recent trip to Disney World.

The rainstorms continued, with 25mph wind gusts

More swirly, light-up toys

Ella relaxing with aunt megan

Playing with Liam’s new race cars and trying to bump each other’s riders off. “OVERBOARD!”

Back home, Des shows off his train to grandma

Ella, before everyone was just tuckered out.

A wonderful Christmas together, the first as a foursome.

Christmas Eve 2016

Dad and Des wake up early (well Des normal, dad early) to begin baking pretzels

Ella doesn’t know what she’s missing out on yet

All bundled up and ready to go to great-grandma Jan’s house. Des also sporting dad’s special, once-a-year Christmas scarf.

While most of the toys at great-grandma’s house are several decades old (standing the test of several Meysenburg generations), Des is fascinated with newer Hoberman Sphere. Could also be because he’s up two hours past his bedtime.