Little T in Big D

Dear Little Trip,

After we got over our three day Christmas sugar buzz, we packed up our stuff and headed to Dallas for Christmas Part Deux. The Rocky theme ran through my head as we pulled into the parking lot, but the thrill of the airport bus kept you distracted long enough to get us through security (and Daddy and I both managed to avoid a "thorough" pat down and the crazy new scanners....Seriously, Mommy was sending telepathy messages to the security guys not to even think of asking us to go through that thing with a toddler in tow). We did a lot of running around to get you nice and tired before we had to board, and while everyone in Terminal B may have been giving us the side eye, everyone on Flight 1605 better be loving me.

Gran had Christmas going in full force when we arrived, and you were opening a new pile of presents about 15 minutes after we arrived. Gran was worried that Max the Pug might overwhelm you with his jumping and barking, but poor doggie....He spent most of the week trying to escape your kisses and hugs. God bless him for never even giving you a warning growl. That dog is going to be rolling in bones and belly rubs when he goes to heaven.


No longer a gift wrap rookie.


For the love of all that is holy, people, click on this picture and check out Gran hiding in the tent!


What you get for teaching your kid to share. And yes, he stuck it right back in his mouth after Max had a suck.


We had an awesome time at the Special Christmas Choo Choo Train exhibit at North Park Mall (That isn't really what is was called, but work with me people). And you liked it almost as much as you liked going up and down the escalator like a big boy 67 times.

We also had an old school lunch at The Highland Park Pharmacy one day, and while Daddy and I lamented how you just don't eat enough, you scarfed down a hot dog, Cheetos and a chocolate malt. Apparently, we are just not feeding you the right things. And truly is there anything cuter than an almost two year old covered in artificial orange dust saying, "Tseetos! Tseetos!"? No, my little friend. There is not.

Gran fed you ice cream with chocolate sauce every night, and you took a lot of walks outside in the crisp air and played in the leaves. Big Daddy (who has become "Big Da") fed you olives and boo boos while you two watched football, and you continue to be entertained by your "Uncle Jeh" and have a slight obsession with your Aunt Jenny's boobs.



Big Da, this is an awesome bowl game. Pass me a beer.


Talking on my cell phone (This is an early model, of course, circa 1989).

We had an awesome time in Dallas and we can't wait to go back!

Winter Wonderland

Deal Little Trip,

Yes, yes, yes...Mommy is slacking on posting. I'll pay for your therapy later.

December brought with it the always wonderful Hanukkah and Christmas. Hanukkah sort of snuck up on me this year, but I came home one day to find you singing the dreidel song and realized I had better get on it! Oma and Opa came over for the menorah lighting, present giving and latke eating....or if you are a toddler: The applesauce smearing, wrapping paper ripping, and massive amounts of gelt eating. Gelt are those little chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. Apparently, if your Big Heads will not unwrap another piece for you, it is entirely appropriate to just eat the whole thing with the foil on it. Hey, whatever you have to do to get to the chocolate, kid. If there is one person who understands this, it is Mommy.


Checking out my new ride!


After a tediously ongoing (and still unsettled) annual "discussion" about whether to get a fake or real tree, a Noble Fir was purchased and dangerously decorated from top to bottom with energy inefficient and lead containing lights and expensive glass ornaments. Yes, even at the bottom of the tree. Yes, even though multiple people of the grandparent variety warned me that you would stick one in your mouth and be scarred for life. For the record, you did not eat any lead containing lights or glass ornaments. I can neither confirm nor deny that certain low hanging ornaments may have been pulled from the tree because they were fruits. And you were hungry. And you just learned how to say "orange." Or something that sounds vaguely like that.


Soon to be a mess of pine needles and wrapping paper.


There was no convincing you it wasn't a real carrot.


Holy Tacky Awesomeness Dada!


Holy Tacky Awesomeness Part Deux!


Eve-of-Christmas-Eve Celebration with Lilz. We are about three seconds away from a helpful push right here.


And still loving Lilz's sparkly shoes. For the record, Lilz does NOT like little boys to wear her shoes.

Mommy didn't really have any plans to buy you presents this year. You have enough toys to happily remain on the naughty list through the fourth grade, and plenty of family members filled up the space under the tree with their own offerings. But Dada and Lilz's Big Heads gave me the guilt trip of all guilt trips at our Eve-of-Christmas-Eve Celebration, so off I went to Toys-R-Us on the afternoon of December 24th to purchase gifts. Yup. December 24th. Afternoon. Toys-R-Us. In and of itself, this act has put Mommy on the "Nice" list until 2016.

We had an awesome time decorating cookies (read: eating sprinkles straight from the jar), and then it was off to bed so that Santa could make his stop in the suburbs.


I better have a taste of these sprinkles before we get started. Just to make sure they're OK.


And maybe just another taste for mid-session quality control.


They say moderation is key in life. But I am a toddler, and I have no idea what moderation means.


That cookie under that mound of sprinkles? That one is mine. Santa can have my broccoli.

We spent all of Christmas day in our jammies, and you spent much of the day opening presents, playing with presents, dancing to Christmas music, and eating sprinkles you found embedded in the carpet of the breakfast nook. It was pretty perfect and wonderful. I spent a lot of time giving Daddy meaningful glances over your head. And maybe eating a few sprinkles.


Boy in motion.


Dada definitely not reliving childhood fantasy right here.


Or here.


Cooking plastic pizza in new microwave while wearing Elmo slippers? Check!


Dear Santa, Next year we would like a toy vacuum that actually cleans the floor. Thanks, Mommy.

Thanks (for) Giving (me chocolate)

Dear Little Trip,

Your second Turkey Day! We kept it pretty low key and had all the obligatory yummy food and family time. Dada rocked a fried turkey and you rocked a killer plaid button down.


Seriously, does it get any cuter?


No, I think it does not.


Have I mentioned you are not a vegetarian?


Thankful for each other!


Let's get it on!


Turkey makes me thirsty.

After dinner, all the Big Heads were sipping wine, doing the dishes and talking about grown up things (like how brilliant and interesting you are), when we noticed it had gotten kind of quiet. Anyone with a child knows that a little too quiet is usually a lot bad.

Apparently you figured out that the beautiful gold box Opa brought over was filled with something you wanted. Namely, chocolate truffle eggs. Amazing how your dexterity improves when you know you only have moments to get the gold foil wrapper off the egg and get as much of it in your mouth as possible before the Big Heads notice what's going on.


Can I fit the whole thing in there?


What chocolate truffle egg are you speaking of, Mama?


But I don't wanna give it back.


Fine, you take it.