Christmas 2010

WARNING COLLASSAL POST

Although this post is very long I think you all should know that I whittled 70 pictures down to these 24

PART I

Christmas morning started bright and early at 7am since that is when Matthew wakes up. He was our gift sherpa this year.

He was very interested in everyone's gifts and wanted to help rip paper all over the place.

I got this weird long skinny gift from Mum and Dad and could not for the life of me figure out what it was.

HOLY CRAP it's a Norwex Mop!!!! OMG YAY (ten years ago I would never have thought I would utter those words.)

Matthew was equally excited.

Look Nana and Papa got some cool stuff too!

Hey there's that cutie again with lint brush that came for him in the mop box.

Daddy got a cool jacket.

And near the end Matthew got stuck in the pile of wrapping.

PART II

After a nap, Matthew got changed into his new Christmas Jim Jams and started round two of presents. There was more than one round because we way overestimated his attention span this year.

Daddy brought in the easel from Grandpa Rick and Grandma Ida. He's only a little excited.

Daddy helped him get started.

BIG smile

Enjoying the crayons (we are still working on not eating them)

Grandma Joyce got him this great bean bag chair.

It's a little tough to get out of though...

PART III & IV

After yet another nap, he changed into his snazzy Christmas sweater and turtle neck and read books with Grandma Joyce.

Aaron and Uncle Brian were wearing their caps and Matthew had to be one of the boys.

Yes this is the best picture of the three of them I could get.

Matthew came back a few minutes later with his hat turned around like Uncle Brian.

After dinner and a bath, we have our fourth outfit for the day. Puppy jammies and a housecoat from Grandma Joyce.

Even though its been a long day he is still moving so fast I can't get a still picture on him in his robe. Oh wait...

I think we've finally hit the wall.

Jacket pics

Seattle Aquarium with Nana and Papa

Nana and Papa arrived for their Christmas vacation on the 21st. On the 2nd we headed to the aquarium to check out the underwater wildlife. We spent about two hours walking around and looking at everything. I think the coolest part for Matthew was the hole in the plexiglass near the salmon ladder and all the "teeks" (sticks) floating in the water.

One of the first tanks we saw that was filled with fish and "bugs". All the way through Matthew called all the sea anemones and star fish bugs and he refused to touch them.

Looking at fish with Papa.

Holy Smokers thats a big one.

Everyone was so intent on getting Matthew to look in my direction that they forgot to smile.

Nana and Matthew.

Papa and Matthew.

Trying to get a cute portrait of Papa and Matthew on the Orca whale statue.

Still trying...

THIS is how he ultimately decided to pose. Very helpful!

Watching the seals swim around.

We'll go back again in a couple years and it will be a completely new experience for all of us.

Sharing a seat with Moe

Often when Matthew climbs up to see what's happening on the computer Moe is on the chair. Since Matthew is not strong enough to push him off, they have worked out their own arrangement.

You see Moe grabbing for the edge of the chair to prevent the pushing off part.

Now Matthew is getting a leg over.

And in the end he decides to just sit on Moe. Not once have I seen Moe surrender the chair no matter how squished he might be. For all the PETA members out there, I intervene before Moe gets hurt.

Whipped Topping

The day after Thanksgiving Aaron was enjoying a little more pie and Matthew was learning to love whipped cream out of a can.

Thanksgiving 2010

We were lucky this year to have the buggle wrangling skills of Uncle Brian on hand. There was a lot of guitar playing and singing and yelling "I wanna rock" (Matthew's version "OCK")

This year Matthew decided he needed to sit at the table instead of in his high chair. And of course he brought his smile to Thanksgiving.

Again we deep fried our turkey and this year Aaron got to stand outside in the dark with snow instead of just rain. We have improved his cooking conditions by erecting a tent so it is a smidge less miserable.

Grandma Joyce was also with us this year. You can never have too many buggle wranglers.

Matthew was the first one to eat and the first one done by far. In fact by the time we got the whole meal on the table he was in the tub. Next time I will know not to try to make him wait for the whole meal, it just leads to fits of rage in toddlers.