Christmas 2015

An outing

Uncle Jim

Siblings.

Dishing out lasagna he made.

Presents!

Merry Christmas!

Storm trooper shot out his tooth

Big tree

If only our presents were this big.

Cookies!

Tree!

Kateri's weaning

I told Kateri a few times that soon she would stop nursing and we would give her a special weaning gift to celebrate, but she was not interested. Then, on Saturday morning, she suddenly crawled out of my lap after a very short nursing and said, "I'm all done nursing now."

"Are you ready to stop and get a weaning gift?"

"Yes."

Done deal. Within minutes we were on our way to the thrift store, where Kateri picked out a purse and a cell phone. (Yes, this girl is growing up.) Then I asked her if she wanted to have them now and not nurse anymore or nurse one more time and get them tomorrow. She chose now.

Nursing has come up only once since then. Monday morning she sat on my lap and said with a sly smile, "Mama, I want to nurse because I can't find my phone." I called her a joker and we shared a laugh.

And that was that. Onward.

We're wearing hats

We have a tree

Hatchet, small ax, handsaw and chainsaw: we came equipped.

Santa came to our house

More things Mara says

Jee-sah (Jesus; she says this when she sees a crucifix or a picture or statue of Our Lord or of any male saint.)

Poop (a useful warning: Do you know where the wipes are?)

Wah-wee (A request for water, but she probably wants it out of your cup, not hers. Hers could still be acceptable if you have removed the lid. If the lid is securely fastened, she will swat the cup away with scorn and vigor.)

Nothing says wedding like a banquet of corn.

Kateri: "Mama, I need my green veil because we are going to a wedding."

Bernadette: "She means a toy wedding."

K: "No, a real wedding. With people in it. And corn to eat."

Sliders

M

4-H caroling

Lawrence holiday horse parade

Sylvia, orange hat, joined us. Lots of amazing horses and pretty carriages.

Things Mara says

Ah-nah (I want to nurse.)

Mama or Mommy

Daddy

Papa

Uppee (Pick me up, or release me from this high chair.)

Teeyee (Kateri)

Seeyah (Sylvia)

Hi

Bye

Bite (Give me some of your food.)

No

Boo (Play peek-a-boo with me.)

Sit down

Cat

Cow

Too (I want some of that, too.)

Stop

Shoes

Hat

Pie (Read "Sing a Song of Sixpence.")

See (Read "Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?")

Matt's note: No can mean no, yes, or I'm messing with you. Uppy sometimes mean put me down/let me out of the chair.

Playing "Car Talk"

Isaiah (to his listening audience): "And even though the castle guards close the drawbridge and light the flaming arrows every time they hear us say it, this is NPR." At the next commercial break..."And even though the rampaging robots start tearing up buildings whenever they hear us say it, this is NPR."

Isaiah (to his caller): "Have you ever caught your husband peeing into the gas tank?"

Bernadette: "Oh, yes, he's always peeing into the gas tank."

Isaiah: "Have you tried filtering it?"