Christmas!

Stockings hung by the chimney...

Oh Santa, I've been soooo good!

Just a little bit excited about his new Ikea kitchen!
(which he has spotted and is running toward...)

New bike=also awesome.

Giving a cuddle to Mr. Foster, his beautiful sock monkey from Auntie Ann.

So many things to cook, where to begin?!

Not fully understanding that the dog-shaped vacuum isn't actually a dog.
(We should have just bought him a little dustbuster!)

Finn LOVES his new bell ornament!

All dressed up for Christmas dinner (yum!)

Finn and Daddy relaxing before dinner.
What a great day! Thank you everyone for the beautiful presents :)

holiday bath

If you're checking Finn's blog you are most likely waiting for me to post some holiday photos, which I will do - promise - as soon as I've finished editing them!! In the meantime, please enjoy this moment of bathtub zen. Our new/old bathtub is the BEST.

Christmas Eve Eve

new truck from cousin Massi!!
(spotted on my way to find the wrapping paper...)

PHEW!

It has been quite a week.

We are now settling into our new house in Corning. Today was our first real day here after the first night at home, and we made the most of it. Finn and I found a great play center that only costs $1 per visit, is basically a big room full of toys and nice people and a 4 minute drive from our house. Finn had SO much fun as a matter of fact, that he fell asleep on the ride home and then napped for two more hours. We all went to Wegmans for dinner tonight which was fun, too (except Santa was there AGAIN and he is totally terrifying, as we know). So we're hoping for another early bedtime and a good night of sleep in anticipation of a day full of fun with our extended family tomorrow ... and now that we have internet, no excuses for so few blog updates --
ps. the photos were taken from my computer as no cameras were handy and Finn is currently in a very photo-happy mood; he likes to include others, as you may be able to tell.

first night

As I've told a couple of friends, if anyone had mentioned to me a couple of years ago that we'd go sixteen months without being apart from our baby boy I'd have said, YOU CRAZY. But here we are, December 15, 2009 and it is only now happening. For the past couple of days Andrew's parents and their friends the Kinneys ("Auntie Ann" of cookie fame) were here helping us pack and PHEW. They were amazing. And this morning they departed for New York with Finn in tow ... funny how he took it in stride while I stood behind all weepy, and continued to stand in the kitchen for a good 'nother 5-10 minutes after watching them drive away feeling like I was missing a limb.

After a nap, a shower and a few more minutes of packing I went to the movies (alone! bliss!) and am now back home waiting for Andrew to return from meetings in the city. My friend Marna sent me this photo taken a few weeks ago of Finn playing with her daughter Pippi and friend at Bethesda Playground - he was so thrilled that day to have their attention. If you can't tell he's smiling from ear to ear in this picture.

We have tomorrow to finish packing then our movers come on Thursday morning so Finn has some quality time at Grandma & Grandpa's house, and we'll be able to see some friends and pack at our own pace. Then ... off to New York, for good! See ya, state that elects Joe Lieberman to the Senate!

santa at the trolley museum

Continuing the theme of using our weekends to do new stuff before leaving town, we hit the Shore Line Trolley Museum on Saturday to ride a historic trolley car and see Santa. I had my doubts that Finn - despite his relative openness to strangers - would actually sit on Santa's lap, but it was worse than that. From the moment he set his EYES on Santa he was clawing onto Andrew as if his life depended on it. Below is the best photo from the trolley ride and the best photo with Santa - uh, maybe next year will be better!

the downstairs neighbors are really going to miss us

Friday 8:30 a.m.

catching up

It has been a busy few days here and as much as I'd like to blame my lapse in posting on packing for our move, it's been more of a general malaise on my part [as in, when there's so much to do, I can't manage to do any of it] AFTER a boatload of very thoughtful visitors ... in any case, here's a random grab-bag of fun stuff we've been doing since Thanksgiving.

Last Sunday, Pam & John came for a quick visit and it was SO great to see them. Finn was happy to see Pam as always, but he seemed *really* interested in John, whom he hadn't met before (thanks again for coming up!)

After his nap that day, Finn was helping Heather in the kitchen, although let's be honest. She really didn't need his help. I mean, look what she made! MMMMM. Vanilla buttercream cupcakes with gingerbread cookies on top. Look out, Martha.

We had a little holiday open house that evening
(thank you AGAIN Heather for all of your help with everything, not only the cupcakes.)
Here's Finn and Quinn hangin' in the playpen.

The next day we went to a park in Hamden to wear ourselves out. Burrrr it was cold!
BTW Finn's new word today was COLD! He'll be using it a lot growing up in Corning.

Today our friends Lucy, Jillian and Emilia (and Brenna, Marla and Annie) came over to play and finish off the baked goods so that I don't finish them in one sitting. In many tries, I managed to get ONE shot of them all looking. Smiles were apparently too much to ask! But they had a lot of fun.

more cute turkey pics

A bag of Finn!

Grandpa, Finn & Andrew recreating an old Barber photo at the State Line offices.

A few moments of Finn *not* in perpetual motion caught on film.

Grandma is not sure how she would have finished her vacuuming without Finn's help!

Looking pretty pleased with himself and his new truck sippy cup

(and - ahem - his golden hair starting to grow in...)