It’s a Small World (after all)

Since Halloween we’ve done lots of fun things. Life is getting more manageable and more predictable, which makes outings easier. At the beginning of November we went to the Chabot Space and Science Center with our friends Rowan, Reid and Angie. It was fun to check out all the neat space stuff! Maren slept the entire time, she’s not really into science yet.

Angie, Reid, Rowan and Maisy checking out the phases of the moon

We did fun baking with all of the in season apples. I love that Maisy is wearing Ma’s (my mom’s grandmother from Sicily) apron. I think Maren is feeling Italian in this photo as she blesses us pope style.

Maren, Mommy and Maisy bake Apple Galette

Then we had the house repaired. What we thought was a small project turned into thousands of dollars and weeks worth of noise. Nap time was not happening, life was chaotic, but I’m happy we are done now! Our house will last through many winters to come, hopefully with no further dry rot.

We were having some crazy warm weather which made for some great park days.

Mommy and Maisy on the see-saw

Maisy loved it!

It turned chilly just in time for our Thanksgiving trip to LA. The drive wasn’t too bad and the girls did rather well. We were super thankful to Mom and Charlie for hosting Thanksgiving and for being way hospitable to all the guests!

Todd and Maisy at Carl’s Jr.

It was very exciting to get to meet my sister’s new baby born exactly a month after Maren. Evan is adorable. He and Maren got along wonderfully.

Maren meets Evan

Auntie meets Maren

Elijah and Maisy had their sweet moments and their annoying each other and us moments- but all in all they are both wonderful kids and seeing them grow up together has been priceless!

Elijah and Maisy

Uncle Steven was able to come to Thanksgiving in LA! It was really nice to have so much family together.

Uncle Steven and Maren

This year we deep fried the turkey. The boys were outside and the girls were inside (surprise, surprise!)

Papa and Todd with the fryer

And of course lots of Nana cuddles

We had quite a week. After Thanksgiving we met up with some of my high school friends for brunch at Mom’s.

Barbara, Becky, Sarah, Perla

Girls with the kiddos

The next day we met up with two of Todd’s cousins in Irvine. Unfortunately, no one thought to take pictures!

But on Monday, it was the piece de resistance! We took Maisy and Maren to Disneyland for the first time with friends and family in tow. Thanks again, Uncle Bob! We had the most fantastic time.

12 of us filled our own Small World boat

Maisy and Uncle Steven taking a spin in Toon Town

Maisy not too sure about the Queen of Hearts

Playing with Marly in line for Peter Pan

Elijah and Maisy on the Winnie the Pooh ride

We headed home the next day and I spent the day unpacking and doing laundry. We are preparing for Todd’s parents to arrive for an early Christmas celebration!

Maren is growing well and maturing in her sleep patterns. She’s pretty easy to put down for naps and bed now. She wakes only twice per night, if that. I cannot believe how fast time is flying. She’s already over 3 months old!

Maren in the bath

More next time!

Much love, Todd, Becky, Maisy and Maren

Maisy in her holiday get up

Well it’s been a while since we’ve updated. I guess the holidays just took off and we went a long for the ride.

We enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving at home with friends and family with a deep fried turkey! Yum. Maisy wasn’t too keen on the turkey- she’s not really a meat fan. I’m beginning to wonder if she’s actually my child! ha

Christmas morning #1

Joan (Mimi to Maisy) and Joel (Papa J to Maisy) came for an early Christmas at the beginning of December. Uncle Steven came over and we all had Christmas morning in the first week of December. We had a great visit and it was a wonderful way to kick off Christmas!

Maisy and Papa J

Maisy had her first meeting with Santa at the Oakland Zoo for Zoo lights. She was NOT a fan. As a matter of fact, she was down right upset about the meeting. She calmed down to check out the Zoo lights, which she LOVED, however on the way out, Todd asked, “Do you want to go see Santa again?”. She burst into tears and said, “No, No, No way, no way!” We couldn’t use the “S” word around our house for a few days, but she eventually got over it and by the time Christmas rolled around, she and Santa were on good terms again.

SANTAAAAAAAwaahhhhhh!

Maisy had her year and a half doctor’s visit in early December. Maisy is now 2’ 7’’ tall and weighs 22 lbs and 5 oz. She’s talking constantly and has more words in her vocabulary than we can count. She is making sentences and likes to “sing”. We continue to go to music class and library group each week. She really enjoys seeing the other kids. The only issue is that she gets a little too excited and ends up being too rough. We are really working on “gentle hands”. Maisy is really into babies, drawing, Snow White, books and her tea set.

Living the life!

We headed off for warmer weather about mid-December for LA. We were lucky enough to get to leave Maisy with Nana and Papa for a week while Todd and I went to vacation in Ilsa Mujeres, Mexico. It was a wonderful childless vacation. Maisy didn’t miss us a bit, although we missed her terribly- however it was nice to get away. Maisy never freaked out or even looked for us when we were gone. Actually when we called she wasn’t even interested in talking with us. I’m glad she was so happy and getting along so well with Nana and Papa.

Maisy and Nana playing stickers

We arrived back in LA on Dec. 23 just in time for my birthday and Christmas. My mom made me and Kim our favorite dinners (lasagna and stroganoff) and got us some cakes. It was so fun to celebrate with my sister just like old times!

Happy Birthday to US! Becky- Dec. 24, Kim- Dec. 19

Maisy had a great time Christmas morning with her cousin Elijah. Santa was very good to both kids. They must have been extra good this year. Elijah is going to be Michael Jackson when he grows up and all he wanted for Christmas was a Michael Jackson hat and an MJ microphone and Santa delivered! Maisy got a Skuut walking bike that she’s still a bit too short for. But she was still very excited to see it.

Maisy and Elijah AKA Michael Jackson

The New Year began in our living room with friends and their little ones. We celebrated the New Year New York style at 9pm. The kids were all losing it and getting quite silly by that time. Maisy had a great time with all of her friends. By 9:15, all the families had returned home and we were in bed well before midnight.

Happy New Year!!!

More later! Hope your year is off to a good start and that you had a happy holiday season.

Much love, Todd, Becky and Maisy

Maisy’s first Thanksgiving!!

W e all had a lot to be thankful for this year and it was very nice to share that with friends and family. Unfortunately not everyone could make it, we still had a super tasty feast with a deep fried turkey, bacon stuffing, mashed potatoes, mini macs, candied sweet potatoes, bacon green beans, salad and gravy….mmmmm. I’m full just thinking about it. Todd has the turkey bones in the crock pot to make a super turkey stock for yummy soup and we are waiting to have lunch of left over turkey!!

Fried Turkey

We were so lucky to have Mom and Charlie, Steven, Erik, Mike, Angie and Rowan over for Thanksgiving this year. Everyone really pitched in to help to make it a very enjoyable day and evening. Thank goodness my mom was here- it’s not as easy to multitask things in the kitchen with a Maisy.

The Thanksgivingers

We were so lucky to have Mom and Charlie, Steven, Erik, Mike, Angie and Rowan over for Thanksgiving this year. Everyone really pitched in to help to make it a very enjoyable day and evening. Thank goodness my mom was here- it’s not as easy to multitask things in the kitchen with a Maisy.

We thank you all for being in our lives and are so lucky to have wonderful family and friends.

Much love,
Becky, Todd and Maisy