Christmas Day

My usual disclaimer about how awful I have become at taking pictures and documenting things. So here are the few pictures we managed on Christmas Day.

We had a really lovely Christmas. Christmas Eve we always spend at my inlaws because it is my FIL's birthday. They have the entire family over and do their version of the 7 fishes. It is great for all of the cousins to get together (there are 6 grandchildren ranging in age from 5yrs to 5months!). They are all sweet and good playmates.

When we got home my dad and stepmom were pulling up at the same time. They came to spend Christmas with us.

Since we were all getting over colds Claudio and I just went to Mass at the Church across the street and left the children home with the grandparents.

Grandma Judi and Grandpa Bob have a lovely tradition of getting each of the grandkids a new Lenox ornament each Christmas. There are different series: snowman series, santa claus series, disney series, and the moose series. We of course chose the moose for Ben. Here we are hanging it on the tree Christmas morning. He is really cute, with little Christmas lights hanging from his ears.

Here is Anna in her snuggly Christmas jammies. She didn't get too excited about any of her gifts, but she got lots of lovely stuff.

This was definitely the Christmas of Thomas for Benjamin and he received lots of new engines and accesesories. Here is Grandpa Bob helping him to open one of the packages.

And here was the present of all presents for Ben. We were able to get him this used train table for his growing collection of Thomas "stuff". You can hear him say a few times, "Ohh wow!" and counting his trains.





Later in the day my brother came over and we had a yummy ham dinner and just a really nice and quiet day.

We Have Waited Three Years For This!

Here in the Salvucci house we love a blizzard......and we NEVER get them! The last time we had a really good snow storm was before we were married...so that is like 7ish years ago. The last time we had an ok snow storm was at least three years ago.

The year Ben was born the winter was so warm that we were having thunderstorms in January and regularly temps in the 60s and 70s. Nothing but an occassional flurry last year.

But here we are...not even January and a good foot and a half of snow!!!!!!!! WE are blessed indeed!!

The started in the wee hours so as soon as everyone was up we went out for a very quick walk in the snow. It was really to windy for the kids, especially Anna so our plans to walk up Mt. Holly quickly changed into a 3 minute venture out with Anna and a quick jaunt in the yard for Ben.

Ben received these snowpants for his birthday last year and I sort of chuckled to myself.....assumed it would never actually snow again and the pants would be packed away unworn at the end of the winter....

Here is Anna all bundled up. This isn't actually from the day of the snow but it was too cute to leave out and fit the theme and all :)

So everyone was bundled up and Anna was strapped on for safety!!

The no standing of furniture rule was suspended so that Ben could peak out the window whenever he wanted to see the snow.

And most of the rest of the day Ben rambled about looking like Bullwinkle (or was it Rocky?) learning new skills like climbing into the exersaucer.

What is Ben up to These Days?

He is dancing...

He is learning the ABC song. Interestingly Ben already knows all of his letters, but not the song yet. It occurred to me how much easier it is to just learn the letters as opposed to the song! He seems amazed and overjoyed to find there is a song that contains all of his beloved letters!

He is "reading". This is a Thomas coloring book. Currently Thomas is his favorite favorite thing. And you can hear him say "Nomas Nomas" several times.



One of our favorite things he says, "Whatchoo doooo-in?"

Deck the Halls

It starts with a little wassail in the sippy. Roll the flavor of Christmas around in the mouth a bit to get in the mood...



Drinking wassail and getting in the Christmas spirit can take a lot out of you so you might want to sit down while you do this..

Ok, now that you've got the feeling you sort branches with Daddy..

Anna, the perfect mini spectator..


Where were we?? Yes yes...sorting branches...

Once branches are sorted and assembled you add the star to the top of the tree..

Then somehow the tree gets covered in lights and ornaments...and voila the tree is up!

I Can Barely Tell Who's Who!!

Can you tell which ones are Ben and which ones are Burl Ives???

St. Nicholas Day

December 6th was the Feast of Nicholas. And legend says he would help out the needy by tossing gold coins into their window and they would land in the shoes or stockings to be found in the morning.

So now there is a tradition to put out your shoes for St. Nicholas to fill on his feastday.

How cute is Anna's little shoe!!

Here is what St. Nicholas left for everyone. We all got chocolate gold coins and a favorite candy treat. Ben also got a new car and a see and pray missal in the hopes that it will foster better behavior at Mass (it hasn't!) and Anna got a pair of mittens.

Anna is 4 Months Old!

Well here they are, each at 4 months, to compare. The biggest difference between the two is I still look at Anna as my itsy bitsy tiny little baby girl. And 90% of the time I call her "Baby Girl" and so Ben almost always calls her "Baby!"

Anna has started holding onto toys (or anything she can grab), she has found her feet and always has BOTH hands in her mouth. While she used to be able to roll from her belly to her back, now that she can go from her back to her belly she seems to have forgotten how to get back onto her tummy! This leaves her quite stranded and upset! I feel like at this age Ben was an old whizz at rolling and rolling and was starting to be able to get around a little....he just seemed like an old man to me in comparison.

I have started giving her some baby oatmeal. She still isn't quite ready...still pushing it out of her mouth. So I just try every few days or so. She does seem to really like the taste, but just isn't ready reflex-wise.

She sleeps like a champ. She usually gets up around 7-7:30 which is a treat compared to Ben!

Overall she is the sweetest smiliest doll baby with an infectuous giggle!!

The Beginning Has Begun Again!!

Tomorrow is the First Sunday of Advent and so begins another Liturgical Year. Advent is a penitential season as we wait in eager anticipation of the birth of our Lord on Christmas.

Putting up our nativity scene is one of the things we do each year at the beginning of Advent to help prepare as a family.

This was the first year that Ben had any idea of what was going on and enjoyed playing with the figures.

And Anna helped us by napping....rested baby=happy baby!

Each year it takes us a good deal of time to decide on the logistics for our scene. We take it very seriously!! LOL and have certain things that are MUSTS, but each year is like reinventing the wheel!

Here is this year's finished product.

A Tour of Our New Basmenet Playroom

We will eventually put down real flooring. When time and money permit. And we want to paint part of one of the walls with chalk board paint. I want to get some curtains for the windows and more storage storage storage! But for now it is space and it is functional and the catastrophe is out of my living room!!!

The Face of a Sick Child

My poor little sweetie was the sickest he has ever been last week. He got whatever is going around. Seems everyone has it. He had a fever and chills, and congestion, and a barking cough, and no appetite. The little critter would not eat a single thing for days. He lost over a pound (not sure the exact amount...in August he weighed in at 23lbs3oz and last week he weighed in at 22lbs....so it was at least a pound...I would imagine more.). He is eating a little better now, but still very picky...rejecting his usual favorites (he won't eat cereal, raisins, cookies, etc). And now he is on an antibiotic for an ear infection. He is doing much better this week though. Up and playing again and thankfully we have been able to turn off the Thomas DVD for a while! We had it playing all day for days since it was the only thing that would keep him from just crying all day.

Look Who Has Discovered Her Feet!

A Place for Everyone

When daddy does a big messy project (that takes him three days to clean up at which point mommy loses her patience and does it herself) there is always room for everyone to be involved...

Benjamin breaks some eggs and stirs it all up....Learning the fine art of mess making from the Master Mess-er.

Using his head as a napkin...

And daddy gets Anna involved by pretending she is just part of the mess....This is like Where's Waldo..

Yes! There she is!!

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to go!

Thanks for the jacket Auntie Eileen!!

Blossoming Friendship

Ben is showing Anna the ropes on the exersaucer. Pressing the buttons and playing the tunes and then dancing for her. Already she is looking to him and already he is showing her the way..


Anna looking at Ben adoringly....

Cute, little chubser legs..