Happy New Year 2010!

In celebration of the upcoming new year we went to Applebees for dinner. Leah's choice of course. It turns out it is the perfect place for us. Family friendly, the food is consistently good and the service is decent. It also ends up being affordable which is great. The baby slept through the whole meal, as expected.

Afterward we headed over to our friend's house for her New Year's Eve party. We only stayed a short while before all the festivities got started. We probably would've stayed later but Mom was very tired. Leah on the other hand was ready to be up all night partying. It was a masquerade party so Leah had to try on the masks.







We came home and played Karaoke Revolution on the Wii for about an hour or so. Then we watched Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve and watched the ball drop in Times Square. Leah stayed up without a problem. Kisses all around.

Christmas Continues at Nana's

Leah's own baby who crawls and talks.





Knit by Matt's Grandmother, Leah's Nana. Incredibly soft.


Good big sister helping her lil brother with his gifts.

To Grandma and Grandpa's House We Go...

After opening up presents at home we headed over to Grandma Ruth and Grandpa George's house. Aunt Lindsay was there as well. We opened up presents and then had a wonderful, delicious dinner that Ruth prepared.

Christmas Morning

Leah enjoyed opening her presents. She received a wide variety of gifts.

Her Webkin Schnauzer...Leah and Matt take care of her many Webkins together online. It is one of their father/daughter activities.


Leah started squealing when she saw what this present was. After visiting Santa at the mall Leah saw this Barbie carriage in the store and wanted to go back to tell him what else she wanted in addition to the science lab kit & double sided lightsaber. Matt told her he would go back and let Santa know of the additional item. When she saw what she was unwrapping she exclaimed "You really did go back and tell Santa!" It was very cute.



The long awaited lab kit. Do we have a scientist brewing?


The wrapping paper mess

Leah's face at being told it was now time to clean up the wrapping paper mess.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Every Christmas Eve I give Leah new pajamas as her first gift, for her to wear Christmas morning.

Noche Buena

Getting together for a family dinner for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) is a pretty big deal for Latinos. It is one of those traditions we grew up with that I am fortunate enough to continue now that I have my own family.

Leah begged me to have the house full of family and friends this year for Christmas Eve. BEGGED. She wanted the house decorated, food cooked and everyone over. It was really important to her. So we did just what she wanted. I am glad we did. It was a wonderful evening.

We are blessed to have so many wonderful, loving people in our lives.

Germs

Leah has always been a relatively healthy kid. Other than the occasional cold here and there she's never really had any other issues. Since starting kindergarten she has picked up more than her fair share of bugs. It is expected seeing that she goes to school with 400 other kids. Overall she has managed well. She finished up her bout with bronchitis that came along with a very nasty viral cough during the week of Thanksgiving and now she has been diagnosed with strep right before Christmas. Fortunately thanks to antibiotics she should be well on her way to feeling better in the next day or two.

It was only a matter of time before we had to juggle the kids and life's unexpected twists and turns. Why not now a week into being a family of 2 kids? lol

We are blessed to have many loved ones who are there to help us. I don't know what I would do without them.

Almost Winter Snow

Just before the Winter Solstice the Northeast was hit with a snow storm. Of course Leah couldn't wait to go out and play in it.



Hard to walk through


Just couldn't help throwing herself into the snow.

Rice Krispy Treat Houses

Leah got the coolest Chanukah gift from Ruth & George. A Rice Krispy Treat Holiday House Decorating kit.



We worked on it tonight. Looks great and tasted yummy.


Matt sat with the baby (who slept) and watched.


Leah's completed houses...she loves this kind of thing. She could decorate for hours without a problem. She didn't even care to eat any of it!

Baby Louis Alexander

Leah is now a big sister. Her baby brother was born on Monday, December 14th at 9:05 a.m. Louis Alexander came into the world weighing 9 pounds and 11 ounces, measuring 21 1/2 inches long.

Leah wants her lil brother to have his own blog for his stuff so you can find our blog for him over at babylouisxander.blogspot.com

Christmas Countdown begins

Our Christmas countdown usually begins around the time we decorate the tree at the grandparents' house.

We had a great time putting up all the ornaments and enjoying the time together.

Holiday Decorating

We decorated our Christmas tree tonight.

Leah helped Matt with the garland while I sorted the ornaments and put hooks on them.







Leah puts a lot of thought into where her ornaments will be hanging.













Leah and Matt "Miss and Mr. Photogenic"


Not so photogenic mom


An almost due mom