Quality Time with Grandma Sue and the Eaves!
Forgot a couple shots from the 20th, camera put them out of order :-\ Anyway, here’s a lovely shot of Grandma Sue, Ian and Nina at the Christmas Lightwalk thingy. We had a lot of fun, and I even saw something that we pretty much assume will be everywhere next year. (They were a string of long pieces that contained a series of lights in a column, that lit top to bottom one after the other, made it look like the tree was raining light… gorgeous!) See this image larger.
We ate dinner at a great place that Grandma Sue suggested, and the waiter was so nice he gave Ian some free ice cream! I think the kid might have even deserved it! 😉 Nina got a little taste too!
On the 21st we went to a cool restaurant that overlooks an airport, Ian was thoroughly entertained by the helicopters taking off!
That night, Uncle Gordon, Aunt Leslie, and Aunt Tara all came over to hang with the crazy kids! See this image larger.
Look at those matching smiles! See this image larger.
The kids gravitate to Uncle Gordon and Aunt Leslie a lot… Ian recently said he’d like to go visit “The aunt that lives in the building way up in the sky” on our next visit to Florida. Can do, kiddo! See this image larger.
Playin’ with some toys! See this image larger.
This bow made its rounds, believe me! See this image larger.
See?
*Hey! Who put that on Nina?!?* See this image larger.
By and by it was time to say bye-bye, with some big hugs! See this image larger.
There were also thank yous to be given, as Ian and Nina received some nice presents. Thank you! Good seeing you all again!
December 18th, we stopped for gas somewhere in Georgia, and I took a quick picture of our sleeping beauty through the car window, surrounded by presents.
December 19th we drove all day. When we arrived at Grandma Sue’s villa, we pretty much went to bed. And that Christmas started first thing the next morning, on the 20th! Here, Ian is inside of a cat toy. I’ve got a shot of him in this when he was much smaller. Cute! 
And BOOM just like that! It is Christmas again! Santa is pretty amazing how he keeps track of all this!
Bathtub Elmo gets a hello hug!
*You can play with this for now Gramma, but I’ll want it back in 15 seconds. K?* 
Kisses from Gramma Sue, always a welcome gift! 
Something I discovered this trip — if you ask Ian to hold up a large toy, he will hold it up right in front of his head. By the time you ask him to hold it at belly level, he’s smiling a little less. That’s what we’ve got here… well that and the ol’ *Do I really have to smile at you when I could be opening presents?*
And yet more festivities!
It was time to build the space shuttle, so Ian and I did our best!
This orange kitty toy runs away from you when you chase it — so Nina chased!
Exhausted, we take a brief rest.
Nina sets up a picnic on the lanai! 
Here’s a better view… 
Still putting it together!
*Sooo… do you have any fish, or tuna? Maybe some milk?* 
Grandma Sue had some great stuff lined up for us to play, and this was one of them. We checked out the Christmas lights at a nearby park and the kids had a blast. And as usual, we can’t seem to get them both to hold still at the same time. So here’s Nina in looking non-blurry…
And here’s Ian looking non-blurry. Nina contemplates her belly button! (Love Ian’s shirt!) Great Christmas Gramma Sue, thank you! 
The morning of December 17th, we arrived in Southgate the night before, said hello to Grampa Dave and Grandma Marcia, and woke up to a great breakfast! We swung by and picked up Great Grandma Betty and had a great day! 
*Mmm! Something smells good!* 
Bacon is one of several things you can give a child that will cause them to be fully unable to look up from their plate. Otherwise, perfect! 
Nina tries to get in the spirit of the holidays by borrowing a Minnie Mouse hat. But whose hat is it? 😉 
NOW she’s in the spirit of Christmas! That or into the eggnog, not sure which! 
Ian, passing through. 
Love it when she’s Daddy’s girl! 
LOVE this shot of Great Grandma Betty! What a smile! 
And then it was time to hand out gifts! The part of Santa’s Helper will be played by Nina Chapman! 
Ian got the weirdest ball I’ve ever seen! He loved it! 
I don’t get to see this smile too often, that’s the true innocent, delighted smile of *I’ve never seen this before!* 
*Look Mommy!* 
Nina enjoys sharing with her brother. In this case she’s sharing her gift… wrap. 
Mommy spots Nina’s new gift while Ian tears into one of his. 
Nina got Abby Cadabbie! She loves her! (Of note – a day later, while on the road — she woke up, squeezed Abby to hear her talk, and fell back asleep immediately.)
“Hi! I’m Abby!” 
Nina’s up for an outfit change, donning her cool Santa diaper, while Grandma makes Abby say hello! 
*Thanks, Gramma!* 
Are you, by chance, thinking “Wow the little one is beating up the big one, that can’t happen too often?” Wrong. 
Ian got a great big Lego set, he was very happy! This picture shows him struggling with the size of it, but that’s a smile, trust me! 
*Here’s one for you, Grampa!* 
Mommy reads!
Another story read by Mommy! 
These were very cool books, with the voices of Gramma Marcia, Grampa Dave, and Great Grandma Betty all recorded into them! Here Gramma Marcia reads a Peanuts book to Nina! 
I lean in for a group shot. Note that Grampa Dave pads the table whenever we show up. Pretty much whenever we come over, I end up being very happy that he did so as a real “bonk” ends up as more of a “spoomf.” 
Go crazy! Go crazy! 
The kids always have fun here. 
What a gorgeous shot. Please look at this one larger — Nina’s smile is perfect, to me. It says *Shhh, yes I love you but Grampa is reading me a story.* Grampa’s smile is great too! 
Nina was cracking us all up, either with how she was handling Ian’s intrusions, or her wonderful babble. 
“Daddy’s hat!” 
Practicing snuggling up for the night! 
Another good one! Might want to see this one larger too! 
Great group shot, although Nina may have just finished burping up a little bacon gas, based on that look! 
Nina’s laugh and smile are very infectious! 
LOL. 
One of Ian’s gifts was a cool spider-vehicle. He loves it! 
*Mr. Monkey, are you still awake? I brought you a pillow!*
Ian’s Christmas party was the same day that we were to head to Grampa Dave and Gramma Marcia’s house… it was short and sweet. Mommy was there too, but I didn’t get any pictures… :-\
Ian got a book from Charlie in the gift exchange!
Ian enjoyed the Christmas party. I know that was a pretty short entry, but this is kind of the way these parties go folks, let’s not forget. I did learn that Ian sings a “days of the week” song to the tune of the “Adams Family” theme song, and another song that half-explained why “tooty” is a common word in our home.
Also Santa has elves to build many toys, but there are some things that just aren’t packaged for a trip in the sleigh… thus Daddy’s been given special permission to do some of the assembly. Nina’s toy kitchen is pretty well put together and very cute! 
*You can bet I’ll be keeping my real milk in this fake fridge!* 
*Ooooh, what you got, brother?* 
*Bonjour! Je m’appelle Chef Nina!* 
Santa brought Ian a beautiful firetruck — the company that made this is pretty detail-oriented. 
You happy? 
He plays with the firehose more than anything else, really. It has been integrated into all his other toys as something. The Joker gets tied up all the time by Batman with the hose, for example.
It took Nina about 5 minutes to realize that two pot lids make a whole lot of noise. 
Nina cooked up a batch of invisible food early on… 
…and she ran around from person to person saying “Try?” I think that was the first time she’s said that. 
*Thanks Ma!*
Nina got a Foofa backpack… yeah you don’t know what that is, that’s ok. Trust me.
A little later in the day, Nina cooking again! 
“Try?” 
Ian’s shoes were cute, when he was a toddler, but I’ve got to say, girl shoes are REEEEALLY cute. 
December 12th, Nina changes Elmo’s diaper! I’ve got a little video of this that I’ll share once we’re through Christmas! 
December 13th, and Ernie sits down for a fantastic meal! 
Here are some pictures to go with the Christmas Concert video… they did pretty good; Ian had rehearsed the songs enough that he probably could have done a bit better, but it is hard not to look like a deer in headlights in front of 200 parents, particularly with the antlers. 
Cutest reindeer I’ve ever seen. 
He finally sees his Daddy taking pictures! 
*Pop quiz, kids, in case of emergency, where’s the closest fire exit?* 
Sorry about blinding the kids here… had to figure out the flash; ceiling was too high to bounce it off of there. 
Hug! 
*I dedicate tonight’s performance to you, Jesus. Happy birthday to us!* 
(Soundtrack from Jaws.) 
BOO! 
Nina at work. They’re wearing socks, see? Just tonight she did this again, but the matching sock had to be rolled up and put on their heads as a hat. 
Also on December 5th, we met up with the Schoenborns at “Java Gym” in lieu of our usual apple orchard trip. Here Nina and Stella hang out while the adults chat. 
Ian attempts to grate his face. 
December 1st, Seth enjoys a band of sunshine in my office. 
December 3rd, Nina turns the tables on Mommy and styles her hair! 
And talking girl-talk, of course! 
*Oh girl, that man, you need to whip him into shape!* 
*This would be easier if you would sit a couple steps lower, Mommy.* 
December 4th, and Nina dresses up nicely for some holiday pics here at home… 
Cute as a button! 
At this point she was becoming more clear about what she would like to eat. Believe this was accompanied by “Cheese.” She was mostly sticking to one or two word sentences, the latter word generally being “please” many times, or the first word being “more.” 
Nina sips from a fruit/vegetable pouch. 
Love her hair here, wish it looked like that all the time! 
November 28th, *Can you hear me now?* 
*How about NOW?* 
Those PJ’s might be runnin’ a bit small there, kid. 
*Domino’s? Yeah I’m calling to double the pizza order that was made just a moment ago by my Dad? Thanks!* 
November 29th, and the kitty shows you just how scary he can be! 
Chilling out on the steps! 
Yes, you’re adorable, now stop doing gymnastics on the steps. 
Still not quite at a growth spurt yet, but give him a little time, I’ve got a feeling he’s going to spring up shortly! 
This is our “time out” step. I’m not sure why we’re having a photoshoot there, but whatever! 