Happy Birthday to Me!

Gee, it has been a while!

On Tuesday, I celebrated my 37th birthday. Can't believe it really. Addie made me this lovely card. It's the most I've seen her write using lowercase letters which is exciting. The top shapes are her baby tooth with her grown-up tooth coming in behind it.

She saw an x-ray of her teeth when we went to the dentist a week ago. We could see her new molars as well as her adult teeth ready to move in. Her dentist thought she might even loose her first tooth when she is 5. She also mentioned that Addie will most definitely need an orthodontist in a few years. As someone who saw an orthodontist from 4th to 12th grade, I was not in the least surprised.

Christmas

Ah Christmas. Seems like a long time ago already even though the neighbors across the street still have a festive fanfare of inflatable Christmas creatures in their front yard. I haven't written thank you notes yet either so the season isn't officially closed yet.

We had a lovely Christmas celebrating with my Mom for a week. After she left on the 29th I started to go a little stir crazy at home wishing I could go on vacation myself. It won't be too long though before we are in Tucson! We were excellent LA tourists though visiting the park, LA Zoo, aquarium, Skirball center, LACMA, and the Natural History Museum in between getting ready for Santa and Christmas Dinner for 12 at our house. Family and friends did their part to keep the US economy going as Addie and Eliza were definitely showered with presents. This will be the last year that Addie will get to open the advent calendar and all the gifts on behalf of her sister.


It's starting to smell like Christmas! Cap and Addie make an apple pie.


Reading the Night Before Christmas narrated by Pop Pop and Nana before heading out to Christmas Eve dinner at Aunt Karen and Uncle Peter's house.


Exploring what Santa brought in their new owl PJs.


Oh Tannenbaum


Nesting owls


Her very own pony


A woodland critter house


Trying on a tutu


Reading with Gran


Even Rapunzel had her own place setting at the Christmas dinner table.


Eliza-safe fireplace


Carrying on the Q family anglophile tradition of paper hats from our Christmas crackers.Yes I make everyone wear them. (and that is crazy good scalloped potatoes Addie's eating.)

You can see all of our photos from Christmas here.

Kidspace

Dusting for dinosaur bones

I'm going back in time on the blog and eventually we'll hit Christmas!

So, on New Year's Eve, after an aborted trip to see Noah's Ark at the Skirball Center, we switched gears and headed to Pasadena. Next year we are going to ask Santa for a membership! Addie knows this place well and for the first time Eliza really got to explore it on her own terms.


Pretending to be an ant, climbing the giant tree


Drawing


Inside a radio


Watching the bees


Not so into a helmet but eager to ride a tricyle. Too bad her legs are too short to reach the pedals.




Eliza face


Addie and Cap: Battle of the Bugs


Look! Snow! Good thing Addie has on her snow boots.

Happy 2011!

Happy New Year everyone!



We celebrated with a visit to the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena followed by a very cold, brisk walk to see some of the Rose Bowl parade floats before heading over to Papa Mit and Grandma Vede's house to warm-up with Indian take-out and champagne. We were home in time to ring in the new year with New York although we turned on the TV about a second after the ball dropped much to Addie's disappointment. Let me tell you that HD on a 42 inch screen was a bad idea to see revelers smooch. Mega-gross.


Cal Poly float. the green and black parts of the rocket are eucalyptus leaves and seaweed.


Camelot (I think)






Trader Joe's