Saturday, December 6, 2008

Getting Ready for Christmas

We've spent the last week learning all about Christmas. We are very excited by all the snowmen Mommy has around our house, and love to show you their mittens, hats, and buttons! We are trying to learn that Santa says "Ho, Ho, Ho" (and not just "Ho"). We also enjoy all the packages Mommy brings in the house - we love to go through them, if she lets us!

Grandma Estochen sent us Advent calendars - every day when we get home from daycare, Mommy lets us have the piece of candy for the day. Of course, we love to try to open all of the candy - but Mommy is faster than we are!

Aunt Renee and Uncle David gave us antlers last year - and we love to wear them around the house. We haven't quite figured out what reindeer say (if you have an idea, Mommy would love to hear it), so we dance and say "Gobble, gobble" (some Thanksgiving residual!).


Posing with our Christmas tree - Mommy's glad it's upside down, so most of the ornaments stay ON the tree!!

Mommy found us a magnetic snowman to dress-up, and hung it on the front door. We can play with it for HOURS every day.

We are learning about wrapping presents - we even helped Mommy "make" some wrapping paper this year! It could be coming to a store near you...

Did St. Nicholas come to your house? He came to our house, and brought us M&M's and new sweatshirts. When Mommy told us to look in our shoes, we went in the bedroom and got them... She's learning not to say things too literally around us!!


Saturday, it was very snowy out. We enjoyed watching Cy play outside, so Mommy got us all dressed up, too. Of course, by the time we were dressed, Cy wanted to come back in - and we didn't want to be outside without him. Mommy and Daddy had to convince us to try the snow by throwing very lightly packed snowballs at us. Then, we tested out walking in it. When our cheeks got bright red - and we had to come in - it was hard to understand "snow" and "no" in the same sentence. Sunday, we were so excited for the snow, we could hardly wait. Angie and Mommy took us outside in our sleds, made snow angels (we didn't like it), and went down the slide... again, we didn't want to come back in. It snowed a LOT last night, so we can't wait to go out there again!!
Stay warm!



Monday, December 1, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had quite the last 10 days! We celebrated Daddy's birthday, and had a BIG Thanksgiving weekend! Grandma, Papa, Aunt Heidi, Uncle Cory, and Uncle Tony joined Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Angie and us for a long weekend!

Wednesday night, Aunt Heidi and Aunt Angie babysat us while Mommy & Daddy went to a hockey game and to celebrate their birthdays. When Mommy got home, she was going to make her "kids" Jello (we made the Cranberry Jello on Tuesday), but we threw away the Jello when we were "helping!". Thursday morning got eve more interesting... Mommy & Grandma learned the hard way that we don't put aluminum foil in the bottom of our new oven (one new part later - it's brand new again!). Then, they decided to bake the pies anyway since the foil had already baked on - and the smoke alarm kept going off and the fire department kept calling to check if it was a false alarm... the pies got baked, but wow, the nerves got frazzled!

We got to learn all about the Berger family traditions - we went on the Turkey Trot in the morning (a little over a one mile walk), and Papa pushed us the entire time. Cy went with - and kept circling back to make sure we were all OK. Then, we went home and had a little lunch before the big party at Mark & Carol's. We got there just in time for "Berger Grace", then helped Mommy & Daddy eat food off their plates - Thanksgiving dinner was so much better than the Mac & Cheese and Carrots we had at home! We played for a while before it was time for the Hot Dog Roast on the beach! We helped Papa and Uncle Cory make their hot dogs, and we helped eat them, too!

On Friday, Neela helped Mommy, Papa & Grandma hang up the Christmas lights. Papa taught her how to climb a ladder - both ladders - and she made it all the way up to visit Mommy on the roof. Believe me - this WILL NOT happen again anytime soon! It was too much for Mommy nerves - and who knows what the neighbors were saying! After Neela was back on the ground, she bossed everyone - "Mommy, Get Down!" and "Grandma, Get Down!". The lights look great! Then, we headed to the hotel for some swimming - we liked to put our feet in the hot tub, even though it was "hot"! We chased Mommy to the big pool, and eventually managed to jump in off the side in our life jackets. As you can imaging, Kylie was cautious - and Neela had no fear. Neela also tested out floating on her back... We have pictures, but we need to get them from Heidi and Cory.

On Saturday, Grandma, Papa, Heidi & Cory took us to Mark & Carol's and Mill's (it's becoming our favorite store!). We helped Papa buy lots of cool stuff - and Mommy, Angie and Tony got all of Mommy's Christmas decorations up! It was great!! For supper, we went to the Cloverleaf in Newport - it was great food! Kylie noticed the Wild on the TV, and the "Boobies" on the Budweiser poster - so much for all that anatomy they say we're supposed to learn! Neela focused on the Cy on Daddy's T-shirt, and the missing Cy on Mommy's shirts. We both loved the fried mushrooms!

Sunday, everyone headed home - and we headed to a football party at our friend, Reardon's. He is a Patriots fan - and they lost to the Steelers. We didn't gloat - but we did dress in a lot of black & gold!

We hope everyone had a great week! We have so much to be thankful for... family, friends, and the village that raises us! All our love - K&N

Turkey Pops from Grandma Estochen

At the Hot Dog Rost with Papa & Cory

Neela's Turkey Headband (Thanks Bonnie & Hambone!)

Neela & Mommy

Helping Mommy make the Cranberry Jello

Kylie tries Cory's Mountain Dew (Cory got to put her to bed that night!)

Kylie's Turkey Feathers

Kylie & Mommy

Neela tries Heidi's Pie

Kylie & Daddy

Kylie's Piggies

Neela's Piggies

Neela's self portrait (she keeps stealing the digital camera!)

Putting our new Monkey ornaments on the tree - but we WON'T leave them there!

Helping Daddy eat his birthday cake!

Opening the birthday box from David & Renee