Christmas 2008 Part 2

When we got to Grandpa Joe and Grandma Tonia's house on Christmas Eve we fired up the old oven for our annual tradition of home made pizzas. We started doing that a few years ago, and it's so much fun that we've kept doing it. Unfortunately I didn't take any picture. Just know that my pizza was the best.

Of course when we arrived all Izzie wanted to do was sit and stare at the Chihuahua. I don't think she's ever seen a dog that small, so she was pretty amazed (still...).


Here's Iz hanging out with Grandpa Joe and the girls.


After we were done cramming down our pizzas, it was time to open presents. Here's Izzie just after shredding the wrapping off of her new toy food basket.


She may have thought that it was real food (infact I know she did) because she got so excited at the prospect of having her own basket full of food that she lost her balance and fell over.


After she picked her self up, she promply sat down and proceded to try to take a bite of everything in the basket. I'm not kidding. She would pick it up look at it, stick it in her mouth, bite down and then, when she discovered that it couldn't be eaten, she would throw it and proceed to the next item in the basket. It was hilarious.


It wasn't too long after that before we ventured downstairs to get ready for bed. On our way, we stopped to check out the new hamsters. Izzie watched one spin around and around in its wheel until it was done, and then she looked at me and said "More." Apparently it was good entertainment for her, or maybe it was the sqeaking wheel that soothed her. Either way she wasn't pleased that the hamster stopped. So, I pulled one out of it's cage and put it down in front of her. She stared at it for a moment as it stared at her, and then when the hamster started to make its way toward Izzie she started shaking her head no. She quickly got up and walked around it so that it wouldn't bite her head off.


Then she sat back down, and I tried to coax her into petting it. She wouldn't have anything to do with it. It was a good time.



We got up bright and early Christmas day to get ready to head over to Lynnell's mom and dad's house. We had some time to kill before we left, so we hung out to watch the girls open the rest of their presents.

Here's Sydnie making sure that all of the stockings have the same things in them and that they are all there as Izzie looks on.


And here they are enjoying the satisfaction that new smelling toys afford you.


Then it was off to the Longley's.

Christmas 2008 Part 1

For Christmas we headed West to spend it with family. Our first stop was at Grandpa Joe and Grandma Tonia's house for a couple of days. It was great to get to see them and the girls again. We really don't see them all (and the rest of our family for that matter) as much as we would like. Sunday the 21st we headed to Spokane to stay with Grandpa Alan, Grannie and Uncle D for a few days. On our way over we stopped at my Dad's parents' house, Izzie's Great Grandpa Paul and Great Grandma Chris. Like a spazz, I didn't take any pictures though. We did have a good visit with them though.

Grannie worked late that Sunday, so we hung out with Grandpa Alan and Uncle D for the day. Monday morning when we all got up and started moving around Grannie gave Izzie her first Christmas gift of the year. A brand new cute outfit to wear for the day while we were out playing and doing our last minute Christmas shopping.


Here's Izzie in her new outfit. Thanks Grannie!


Tuesday the 23rd we hung out and played around the house. It's probably good to mention that Spokane got a record snow fall this year, so venturing out was the last thing that we wanted to do. Partly because it was such a chore and mostly because it's hard to tolerate all of the other drivers that forget how to drive as soon as there's any form of precipitation on the ground.

So that afternoon, Jake (my best friend growing up) and I went out to my mom's mom and dad's house to pick them up and bring them up to my mom's house for the afternoon and dinner (they didn't want to drive in the snow storm). First thing my grandma says to me when she gets in the car is "Joey, I have my back seat drivers license, so you be good and drive smart." Priceless. I love my Grandma. She's one of those old people that just says it how it is and what's on her mind. Makes for a good time.

While Jake and I were away, Izzie and Grannie made cookies. Here's the fun that ensued.





Since I missed the cookie making I can't really offer any commentary, but it looks like they had fun. Here's Grandpa sitting by the fire warming up after coming in from outside. He was kind enough to show me his new camera, and then when he figured out that his was better than mine, he wouldn't let it go. Very funny; especially if you knew him.


Here's Grannie and Great Grandma Hazel.


Grandpa Alan finally convince Izzie to ride the rocking horse, and turns out (like most things people try to get her to do) she loved it.


Here's a quick video of the exciting action.



That evening we all sat down for a fabulous dinner. Here we are enjoying life, family, love and relationship.


After dinner it was time for more fun and games. Izzie and Grandpa Alan watched a Baby Einstein video.



Then it was time to open presents (a last minute decision since Grandma and Grandpa were there).


Here's Grandma and Grandpa opening their cards.


Here's Grannie helping Izzie open her sweet new present.


A video.




Here she is afterwords. Grannie is fixing her up with a co-pilot. Thanks Grandpa Alan for putting the pony together.



Izzie thought it was the best. She scooted around the house on that thing for quite a while.


Here we are with everyone for one last picture (Uncle D took it).


It was a good week, and it was great to get to spend time with Grannie, Grandpa Alan, Uncle D, Grandma Hazel and Grandpa Bill.

We left Christmas Eve evening to head back to Grandpa Joe and Grandma Tonia's house because Christmas morning we were heading to Lynnell's families house.

Pink Eye!

That's right. Izzie got Pink eye in December. Actually it was at the end of December. It started out like any other pink eye (I guess...).



The next day was a little more miserable. Izzie looked like a cage fighter who didn't walk out of the cage under her own power.



That was about the worst of it. From there on out it got better over the next few days thanks to some prescribed eye drops from the doc. It made for some funny faces from the Iz and some unfortunate screaming endured by mommy and daddy. Luckily it's over now, and minus the minor flare up at the beginning of January we can put it behind us. Hopefully we don't have to do that again.

December 2008

A lot happened in December, so I'll break it up into smaller more manageable chunks. We'll start with the random pictures and stories.

Since this is the first Christmas that Izzie wasn't all wrapped up in a blanket sleeping all of the time, she was able to enjoy some of the finer things in life like really poor stop animation films for children. You know the ones I'm talking about. Here she is watching the always philosophical Rudolf one.


We also explored the wonder that is cardboard in box form. This simple box provided hours of fun.



I think December also marked Izzie's introduction to fast food in the form of McDonald's. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Sometimes when we drive by now she points and says "Yum." Funny and cute, but it just proves the point that fast food IS habit forming. Here's Izzie steeling a drink of Lynnell's Coke while she left the room. It must have been a euphoric taste because it made her very happy. She sipped it until Lynnell got back.


Here she is hanging out on the couch.


Lynnell's birthday is in December, and when the time was right Izzie gave her a birthday card. Here's Lynnell reading it to Izzie. (Happy Birthday Mommy!)



December also marked the first time that Izzie took a ride in dad's car. She was a little weirded out at first, but once she realized that she was in her car seat and dad was driving everything was ok. Here's the smile to prove it.


For Christmas Lynnell and I got Izzie some sweet new bath toys. They came with a sweet turtle that spews water like a little fountain. Unfortunately Izzie doesn't think it's as sweet as I do. In fact it bothers her and she refuses to let it near her lest she get wet. Here's me provoking her.

And here she is retaliating with a push.


Not a long post I know, but you should be grateful. I'm splitting up the month in smaller posts.