Merry Christmas to all!

We went back and forth for a long time, debating what we were going to do this year for Christmas.  We weren't sure we'd be able to handle a road trip with a 3 week old and toddler but finally decided that spending the day with just us might not feel special enough and we wanted to be with family.  So we packed up the car to the gills and headed down south to my parents.  It seems planning a road trip with two kids this young requires more strategic planning than the invasion of Normandy.

I am so glad we did it.

We had a great Christmas with my family in St Louis.  There wasn't as much time to relax as in the past, between taking care of 2 kids and a dog, so it was nice to have other sets of hands to hold Audrey and keep an eye on Barrett.  There were several volunteers to cuddle Audrey as needed!  She is such a cuddly little thing!

It was a pretty quick visit - we arrived Friday night and left Monday.  The kids did great in the car - Audrey is an awesome sleeper and Barrett loves The Wiggles in our newly installed tv/dvd player so it was a much more pleasant drive for all.

We went to Chuck E Cheese one day, to burn off some kiddo energy.  My first job was at this Chuck E Cheese, actually, but it didn't bring back too much nostalgia for me since the place looks entirely different than it did back then.  It was a great idea for Barrett - he didn't even realize if he was playing a game or not, he just loved running around and seeing all the games and lights and noises. 

Caroline - 8 weeks younger than Barrett

I used the Moby for the 1st time - I really liked it!  I just need to keep practicing with it and get over any intimidation about it.

Christmas celebrations

The family on Christmas Eve

You are viewing a Christmas miracle - all the kids looking at the camera at once, no one crying and no dog running through the picture.  Success!

Christmas morning

It was a very Elmo Christmas for Barrett.  He got an Elmo guitar, an Elmo microphone, an Elmo doll and, for his birthday we celebrated a few days earlier - an Elmo book and singing Elmo birthday car.  I sure hope his Elmo obsession lasts a little longer.  Or do I?   The funny thing is, he didn't even know Elmo from tv until recently.  Last year, I showed him an Elmo doll at the store and he refused to let it go.  My parents also got him an singing Elmo stocking when they were visiting at Thanksgiving so we've been hearing a lot of Elmo singing "Jingle Bells" this season. 

It was fun having B this year at his age.  We can go to a toy store with him and he just loves looking at all the toys and doesn't cry or whine to get any of them.  And we can buy them with him right there and he doesn't even realize.  I am afraid next year we won't be so lucky!

Audrey, just hanging out!

Papa and the grandkids - love Caroline's little tutu!

I wish we'd gotten a few more photos, but now with 2 kids, we both had our hands full and didn't use the camera like we should have!  I will have to be better about this in the future.