Christmas Day

Our new tradition (started last year...two years in a row qualifies as a tradition, right?) is to host Aaron's in-town family members at our house on Christmas Day, which is also Granny G.'s birthday. Granny, Grandpaw, and Auntie Sarah came over around 3:30 and played with Leif for a few hours while I puttered in and out of the kitchen, finishing getting dinner ready. Since Granny G. has a history of showing up to babysit with a Matchbox car or two hidden in her purse, Leif had a *hunch* that some of the presents piled in the corner of the living room might possibly be car-related. Smart kid. Suffice it to say that Leif's collection now contains just about every variety of Matchbox car, truck, and van under the sun, and he is happy as a little clam -- that is, if there are any clams out there that go "Vroom, vroom, honk, honk, honk!" all day long. I am truly curious to see how long this car obsession lasts and what (if anything) will eventually displace it. For now, it makes him happy and keeps him occupied, so I am all for it!

Once it came time to sing "Happy Birthday" to Granny later in the evening, we discovered what a good device singing that song was to make Leif pay attention and smile for pictures. He LOVES the song and consistently grins, claps, and exclaims, "Yaaay! Again, please!" after every time it is sung. We probably sang it a dozen times over the course of the rest of the evening, either at Leif's request or for a photo op. I hope he still likes the song this much by the time his own birthday rolls around at the end of February!

Leif with the birthday girl


Hug for Auntie Sarah


A happy boy with Auntie Sarah


"Happy birthday to you..."


"Yaaaaay! Again, please!"


Trying out his big-boy trike from Auntie Sarah


Thank you again to Granny, Grandpaw, and Auntie Sarah for joining us for a wonderful Christmas celebration!

Christmas Eve

Per tradition, we spent Christmas Eve with my (Amy's) side of the family at my parents' house. Conveniently, Leif picked that day to start enthusiastically saying "Cheese!" and smiling broadly for the camera (or at least he picked that day to try it out a few times). He had lots of fun climbing on Grandma and Grandpa's living room furniture and playing with the extended family who had gathered for the occasion: Uncle Erik, Aunt Tami, Cousin Vivian, Great-Uncle Timo, Great-Grandma B., Grandma, Grandpa, and Great-Aunt Mirja. Although he was still not very interested in the process of unwrapping presents, he was very pleased with the contents of several packages, most notably the new set of Matchbox trucks from Auntie Mirja. Since he happened to have opened those before anything else, we ended up enlisting three-year-old Vivian (an adept and enthusiastic unwrapper of presents) to open the remainder of Leif's gifts for him while he sat nearby, totally absorbed in rolling his trucks around on the rug.

Leif in Matchbox truck heaven


Leif and Vivian awaiting the Christmas Eve smorgasbord




Refrigerator clip magnets: a versatile toy popular with both the under-2 and the over-3 crowds


Upside-down elf in training


Vivian attempting to sign "I love you" with her left hand while her parents smile for the camera


Christmas guests from afar: Great-Grandma B. (Buffalo, NY) and Great-Uncle Timo (Chisholm, MN)




Our gracious hosts: Grandma and Grandpa B. and Great-Aunt Mirja




Thank you, everyone, for the great gifts for Leif, the delicious food, and the fun time!