We Got 99 Inches and a Bitch Ain't One

There's been quite a bit of snow here in sunny Massachusetts over the past month.  The city of Lowell, where we lived when Maddie was born, is currently the snowiest city in America at 111.3".  That's a lot of snow, dammit.

In our neck of the woods, we've got 99.2", which is still a lot of snow, dammit.  

A month ago we were starting to think we had missed having a terrible winter.  We had a storm on Thanksgiving, but it was relatively warm throughout December and January.  What fools we were!  The end of January brought a blizzard, and it pretty much hasn't stopped snowing since.

The winter after Madeline was born was a snowy one too.  If you've been reading the blog for a long time, you might remember this chart from 2011:  

So, since the winter of 2015 has turned out to be even worse than 2011, I thought I'd make a new chart:

We have enough snow on the ground to equal 3.5 Viviennes and 2.4 Madelines.  In case you're interested, that's also 1.5 Mummas and 1.3 Dadas.  

This is why we're trapped indoors.  If I sent the girls out to play, we wouldn't see them again till April.  We maybe wouldn't find Vivi till May or June... 

Time to play another board game and watch another DVD.  Hopefully something other than Frozen...

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas

Phew.  It has been a BUSY holiday season.  After Vivi's first birthday, several Christmas celebrations, and New Year's, I'm plumb tuckered out, folks.

It was a bit of a relief dropping Maddie Bear off at school this morning.  Time to get back into a routine.  Time to get the house back to normal.  Time to stop eating so much damn food.  Seriously, Summer...put down the truffles.  There is a perfectly good container of chickpeas in the refrigerator.  Eat them.  

Christmas morning was pretty awesome this year.  Madeline is now old enough to really get it, and the holiday is pure magic for her.  

We weren't sure how Vivi would react, but she had a lot of fun too.  She loves opening presents.  She sat next to Madeline, curious to see what was in each and every box. 

There was no whining, crying, or fighting.  Nobody got bored or overwhelmed.  There was just joy, presents, and cinnamon rolls.  (Cheerios for Vivi.  Sorry, Bubba.) 

My parents came over for dinner later in the afternoon, and we had a pretty relaxing day stuffing our faces and playing with the girls.  

We packed up and headed down to New York the next day for a second Christmas.  

While we were there, we brought the girls to visit the Museum of Natural History.  Madeline was frightened of just about every room we passed.  Dinosaur bones?  Nope. Taxidermy?  Not her thing.  Giant model sea creatures?  Girl wasn't buying it.  Outer space?  Too boring.  But the "Hall of Minerals"?  That one she liked.  Shiny rocks and jewels for the win!

We also stopped by Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree, but the mass of humanity was so dense that I didn't even try to take a picture.  Madeline didn't seem too impressed with the tree either.

She did enjoy the train ride though...

The rest of our visit was spent with family opening more presents, decorating cookies, playing with Nana and Pop, and of course, eating cupcakes.  (Vivi ate blueberries.  Sorry, Bubba.)

And finally, we celebrated our third, and final, Christmas this past weekend at my sister's house.  Madeline scampered off with her cousin as soon as we got there, and I didn't see her much for the rest of the night.  Vivi played shy before getting in on some more present opening.  And I drank my weight in martinis.  Overall, a successful Christmas had by all.

Cuties.

And I'm so grateful for our wonderful family.  We had a great Christmas...three times...and the girls now have enough toys and clothing to last them the rest of their natural lives.  Ho ho ho!

Happy 2015

We've started a tradition of going to the beach on New Year's Day.  There's no better way to celebrate a fresh start than by freezing our booties off in the sea air.  

Last year, Vivi wasn't quite two weeks old yet, and I had a breast infection.  I stayed in the car nursing the baby while Eric and Maddie braved the cold.  

This year, we bundled both girls up.  Maddie ran around collecting rocks.  Vivi pointed at the ocean mumbling, "Dat. Dat," and cuddled with Eric.  

2014 was a good, challenging year.  It started off a bit rocky as we adjusted to being a family of four.  But a year later, I feel confident parenting our girls.  

Last year was about survival.  This year, I want to take everything up a notch.  I want to spend more one-on-one time with Madeline.  I want to learn more recipes for Vivi. I want to read more.  I want to finish more projects.  I know these goals aren't very specific, but basically I want to make the most of my time with my girls before I go back to work in nine months.  

By the way...2015?  Really?  

We're living in the future.  

Dear Santa

We brought the girls too see Santa with my family last weekend.

Vivi is getting a little less shy around strangers, but I did not have high hopes for her first visit with Mr. Claus. 

When she saw him, her grip on me tightened, but she didn't cry.  We were able to sit for a few family photos before the tears finally came.  I call that a win.

Maddie was braver this year too.  Before we got there, she decided that although she wouldn't sit on his lap, she would sit next to him. And that's just what she did.  She wouldn't look at him though....hey, baby steps.  

The goal is to eventually get a picture of the girls without Eric and I there too.  Maddie will probably be twelve by then.  

When we were finished, Madeline realized that she didn't tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas.  This worried her a but, but we reminded her that we wrote him a letter, so all was well.  

We've been bringing Madeline to the same local garden center to see Santa since she was one.  They have lots of decorated trees, hot cider, chocolate chip  cookies, and a large train set to keep the kiddos (and adults) amused.  

(I hate to tell you girls, but there's a creeper in the bushes behind you.)

(Cousin Love) 

And now, the ghosts of Santas past: (They also switched Santas on us this year, and we were bummed. The old Santa was the best!)

2013

2012

2011

2010

Thanks for playing photographer, Mimi and Bob!

I can't get over how much Madeline looks like Vivi in this picture....or Vivi looks like Maddie...

Help! I'm Seeing Elves!

We "adopted" an elf for Christmas this year.  Her name is Tipsy, and she has a drinking problem.

(Eric got a beer advent case, and this may have contributed greatly toward our decision to introduce an elf to our home.)

But when she's not busy pounding them back, she's filling Madeline's life with magic and candy canes.  

I have mixed feelings about the whole Elf on the Shelf tradition.  I mean, it's kinda creepy that this elf watches you all day and then flies back to Santa to narc you out every night.  It's Santa, not the Gestapo for goodness sake.  Plus, I'd rather her be a good human because it's the right thing to do, and not because she's worried Santa won't bring her presents...which he is, obviously.  

On the other hand, I love cheesy stuff like this. I nerd out thinking of all the fun we can have with this elf.  

Best of all, Madelne's reaction to Tipsy has been priceless.  She believes.  Oh, she believes so hard.  

On the first day of our advent calendar, Madeline recieved a telegram from Santa stating that our request for an elf had been approved.  Later that afternoon, Tipsy appeared under our tree.  

Madeline was very quiet as we read the note Tipsy wrote to her.  Then she carefully held Tipsy in her lap while we read the book.  When we got to the part about how it's against the rules to touch an Elf on the Shelf, Maddie quickly passed her to me.  I told her it was okay because it was her first day with us.   I let her give Tipsy a kiss before we placed her on the shelf, and she hasn't touched her since.  

On the first night, Maddie had a hard time falling asleep.  

"Do you think she's come to life yet?"  she whispered across her bedroom as I fed Vivi a bottle.  

We downplay the part about Tipsy flying back to the North Pole to tell on her.  Although Tipsy did bring her a candy cane for good behavior one morning.  I'm not saying we haven't fallen back on the whole, "Remember, Tipsy is watching..." bit a few times.  When your kid refuses to eat her dinner three nights in a row, you'll try anything.  

Mostly, we focus on the idea that Tipsy helps us get in the holiday spirit!  

Here's what Tipsy's gotten herself into so far...

She threw herself a welcome parade with the instrument ornaments from our tree.

She perched on Giselle the Gazelle to get a better view of our house.

She took a ride on our penguin slide.  

She read Rudolph a Christmas book about reindeer.  

She played dress up with Anna and Elsa, and came away with a new skirt!

She took the princess Little People on a joy ride in the Little People school bus, but she was driving too fast for me to get a picture...

And she's educating the toys on Elf culture.

Oh that Tipsy Elf...