Christmas part II

I forgot!  December 23 was Venezuelan Christmas!  Since Julio had to work the whole weekend, I thought we could serve traditional Venezuelan Christmas Eve fare, play a few games, maybe open presents from family...
But then.  Julio was sick.  Still sick.  Too sick to do much more than nap and attempt to clean his sinuses (sini?) with the Neti pot.  So, my big plans for a Venezuelan Christmas with Daddy turned into just a delicious dinner.  Which was still fun, though less celebratory than we would have liked.

Sofia was so excited for Christmas this year.  She woke up ecstatic to see the stockings had migrated to the table and were filled with goodies.  Santa had eaten her cookies (they were delicious) and even wrote her a note telling her so.  We had a wonderful morning all together opening presents and eating cinnamon rolls and egg bake.  We missed Johanna and family and Julio's family, but enjoyed Aunt Sarah and Grandma and Grandpa.

Merry Christmas to all!  May you be filled with peace, love, joy and hope this holiday season and all year long.

Christmas Time!

Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy Chanukah, and an early Happy New Year!  We are having a great holiday season, though Julio has spent most of it being sick.  He's been able to enjoy December despite the illness, however, and the girls have brought the magic of the season to all of us.

We started our celebrating in Minneapolis, visiting Padrino Gerardo and Alissa, where we made hallacas and visited Santa.

Christmas Eve was spent preparing for Christmas.  We made cranberry salad, a holiday cake, rolls, cinnamon buns, and a refrigerated egg bake for the next morning.  Grandma made traditional oyster stew, and Grandma, Sarah, the girls, and I went to church.

We all sat in front to sing in the choir, which Grandma now directs and which was greatly depleted due to Christmas travel.  Sofia and Amalia did wonderfully.  Sofia enjoyed the children's sermon and put a baby Jesus in the manger in the nativity scene with the rest of the kids. Amalia seemed to enjoy the singing, and after nursing, fell asleep for most of the service, waking up at the very end when we all had candles.  Sofia even got her own this year!  Singing Silent Night in a dark church holding a candle is simply my favorite time.
We let the girls open one present before bed (bribery), and Sofia chose their presents from Sarah, which had been sitting under the tree all week torturing her.  ("Mom, we can call Aunt Sarah and say thank you and then open the presents!")  Sarah made them both beautiful knitted dolls!  Sofia wants to name them both Strawberry Shortcake.

After presents, we all got ready for bed, though Mom didn't get to go to sleep.  Someone has to prepare for Christmas!  Sofia set out cookies for Santa and wrote him a note.  Amalia was fussing, and I laid her on Sofia's bed while we got Sofie's jambes on.  Sofia went to snuggle her for a minute, and pretty soon, both girls were giggling.  Amalia sure loves her big sister, and Sofia sure loves her little sister.

It's getting late, and I'm getting tired.  Christmas stories to come tomorrow!

The one where my giant, gorgeous baby turns four months old

So, Miss Amalia is now four months old.  Christmas Day, to be exact.  It's amazing how much a small person can change in just one month.

The child laughs, all the time now.  She prefers to laugh at Sofia, who can get a giggle for just standing there looking cute.  Mama and Papa have to tickle or be silly or smother her in kisses or at least do something to get the laughs.  She has also, all of a sudden, shown an interest in toys and having something in her hands to chew.  If there is nothing in her hands, she'll chew her fingers instead.  Since she still keeps her fists closed most of the time, that leads to wet palms constantly.  She's started lunging at anything she finds interesting and tries so hard to grab it by herself.  She's still rather uncoordinated, but is improving every day.

Amalia is growing.  We had her four month appointment today, and she weighs 19 lbs 12 oz, and is 27 inches long.  That is 99.99 percentile for both.  Pretty much the biggest baby ever.  She's got luscious cheeks that literally stop traffic (foot traffic, anyway).  We (just Amalia and me) went to Las Vegas on a whirlwind trip to visit Aunt Johanna and meet the cousins.  People everywhere stopped to admire at this baby's cheeks.  It was so wonderful to see Anika again and meet little Reni.  He's actually not all that little, though Amalia technically is bigger than he is. She's firmly in 12 month clothes, and 18 month clothes in some brands.  Seriously.  

This past week and a half Amalia has started sitting.  Not fully, but she can keep herself upright for awhile, and is working on balance and not bending all the way forward.  It's great fun to watch.  She got an exersaucer for Christmas, and she is so proud standing in it.

Amalia is such a chill little baby.  She doesn't fuss much, mostly looks around and smiles and loves.  When she does get upset, it starts as complaining. If we don't get with the program and give her what she wants, she gets so angry!  The daily 7:30 melt-down has basically ended, which is a relief.  Amalia is pure love, joy, and wonder.  I love you, sweet darling.  I can't wait to see what next month will bring.

December 19

So apparently, I am only going to use this blog to write Amalia's month letters now...I'm a terrible blogger. BUT!  I'm procrastinating laundry, so here goes.

December 19.  Somehow, I let December 11 pass by without a second thought, never thinking of the importance of that day.  I couldn't do that with December 19, for a very good reason.

My niece turns two today.  A bright star, with a contagious laugh and the sweetest cuddles and love for her brother, a whole person that I wish I could see every single day.  I love you, Anika.
Two years ago today, your mommy and daddy braved snowmaggedon in DC, endured an incredibly long and difficult labor, and were blessed with this whole new life, a beautiful baby who would grow to be an incredible little girl. Two years ago today, we were anxiously awaiting the news of Anika's birth, wishing we could be with Johanna, ready to welcome the newest member of our family.  But instead, two years ago today, we were celebrating the life of an incredible woman.  Two years ago today, we officially said goodbye to my Aunt Suey.  Standing room only at the church, and some people didn't even get let in.  I couldn't keep my tears from flowing.  My heart was breaking.  At the party afterward, it was hardly even standing room only.  The entire party barn was packed, all three floors, with all the people Suey loved.  It was incredible outpouring of love, but all I could think was how much Suey would have liked to be there.  I miss Aunt Suey every day.  Since I was 14 and stayed at her house while my parents were in the Bahamas, she was my person.  She treated me like a friend, not like a child, and was so easy for me to talk to.  There is so much I wish I could share with her now.  Instead, I remember and try to celebrate her life by living the way she did.  And on December 19, I remember how one incredibly bright star left this world, while another entered.
Aunt Suey would have loved you, Anika.