New Year Posing

Maya has only two sets of fleece zip-up pajamas in her size, and we've had a few cold weeks this winter that necessitated warm pj's, so her Christmas ones have gotten quite a bit of wear.  In the first few days of January - right before we took down our stockings from the mantle - Maya happened to be in her Christmas pjs, and so we snapped a Pinterest-inspired photo of her waiting for Santa . . . or really just staring at a bow Cas was waving overhead.

Being off the week of Christmas and New Year's, one of my projects around the house was to go through Maya's closet and box up the clothes she has outgrown.  Some of them screamed for photos, as the outfits were too cute to be put away without documentation of how adorable they were on my daughter.

First up, a clothing line with her name on it, a "Baby Bella Maya" matching bow, onesie and footie combo-

Trying to capture her logo . . . and checking out IronMan who joined the photos -

Next up this gorgeous, delicate dress from my friend Lindsay.

As he would only request when we're not begging/bribing him to smile for a picture, Collin asked that he/IronMan be the subject of some photos too.  And Maya on her hands and knees - she rocks but doesn't yet crawl.

That weekend, Cas' brother and his family stopped by for a visit.  These two babies are three months apart but Lorenzo outweighs Maya!  

And a shot where I didn't crop Cas out of it, but then of course the babies weren't looking -

Uncle Libero wrestling with Collin -

And posing for what may one day be a rehearsal dinner blackmail type of photo, Collin sporting my 4" boots around the house.

Though Maya doesn't crawl, she definitely rolls and scoots.  She ended up half under the couch after being placed in the middle of the rug, so Collin joined her, and we of course snapped a photo!

We had a great Christmas break with the kids!  Collin continued to crack me up with his imagination.  One afternoon, he had taken on the role of the Joker, a Batman villain, complete with a modified voice.  Keeping in character, we had the following conversation:
C: (turning to me) Erin
E:  What did you just call me?
C: Erin
E:  No, you don't call me Erin, you call me Mommy
C:  But I'm not Collin, I'm the Joker
E:  Even when you're pretending to be the Joker, you still need to call me Mommy
C: But I'm not pretending to be the Joker, I am the Joker
E:  Okay, well even if you're the Joker, I'm still Mommy
C:  But the Joker doesn't have a Mommy
E:  Sigh of exhaustion

Artwork - from novice to accomplished

Aunt Rita and Uncle Dick gave Collin lots of activity books and art supplies for Christmas.  He was eager to paint his magnets, so a few days after Christmas, we set him up for some artwork.  Lip of concentration - 

And I decided Maya might be jealous of the painting opportunity, so I let her create some novice artwork - with yogurt and food coloring.  She was all smiles - 

She'd paint a little on tray and face and then sample a little as well -

Like her brother, concentrating on her masterpiece -

Yogurt face -

The art that can be considered slightly more advanced than my children's was a gift from my Uncle Larry, a cd of some of his beautiful flower photos which we passed off to Santa to create a canvas collage.

Christmas Morning - snowy footprints but no snow

Christmas morning was seeing Santa's snowy footprints on the living room rug and checking to see how many cookies he ate.

Christmas morning was opening up the gifts youngest to oldest.  Santa brought Maya some canvas photos for her wall.  Pretty sure she appreciated the wrapping paper more.

Christmas morning was opening obscure action figures like Solomon Grundy, a villain of Batman.  Or posing for pictures with Scrub Daddy, a thrilling Santa gift in my stocking.

And for 7 month olds, Christmas morning was putting EVERYTHING in your mouth - from wrapping paper to presents to the camera strap.

Christmas morning was taking a pause from opening wrapped presents and playing with toys to read a new book.

 

Christmas morning was digging through more goodies in personalized stockings (thanks Grammy) -

 

And if you're teething, eating the contents of everyone's stockings -

Christmas morning was being deliriously happy over your first nerf gun

Or deliriously happy over wrapping paper -

Christmas morning was putting on the last ornament of the Jesse tree, a 25-ornament countdown to Christmas, with all ornaments connected to Bible stories pointing to the birth of our Savior from the creation of the world!

Christmas morning was sharing your "low" of the day - that there wasn't snow (unlike EVERY depiction of Christmas morning in books and movies) . . . there were almost tears!

Christmas morning was giving your sister princess action figures -

Christmas morning was unwrapping a gift from your sister . . . that may have been held over from Hanukkah when you were flooded with gifts, and then giving your sister a kiss -

Christmas morning was opening a 3 foot Batman from Cas' assistant.  This sucker scares me whatever it is, when I walk in a dark room and see this standing figure.

Christmas morning was action figure battles with the newest members to your collection.

Christmas day was putting on handsome clothes, enjoying the time with family too much to take pictures, but snapping a few after everyone left and you're opening presents from Grammy and Brownie -

Christmas day was gifts flown in from Indiana, building silly dinosaurs thanks to Uncle Alex and Aunt Coady

Christmas day was leg warmers, tutus, and photos with Aunt Debbie and Grandma Jewell Rae -

Christmas day was switching to the cutest bow ever from Uncle Alex and Aunt Coady as soon as you open its package -

And Christmas day was gifts that only non-parents give, like voice-changing megaphones!

Christmas day was family, food, laughter and love as we celebrated that our God came to us -