Merry-Making

Is it Christmas time again?  

The merry making around here is going slow and steady.  Which I have found to be quite fun!  Instead of getting a tree decorated in one session, it took us at least three sessions.  It took a few extra days to get the stockings hung.  We worked on the gingerbread house over the course of several days.  Today we went and made cookies with grandma Carole and auntie Sam.   I still have my baking to do. Christmas didn't happen quickly.  Everything is unfolding slowly around here.  Because we are busy, mostly caring for the kids.  But I think I like it better this way.  It's like savoring the experience.  The one thing that I haven't started yet is the wrapping.  And I have to say, i'm a bit stressed about that part.  

I wonder how Marea is going to react to Christmas this year.  I'm excited.

Marea is getting so good at playing by herself.  She has come up with whole new games with all of her old toys.  I feel like it happened suddenly...like one day she just changed.  But it's probably been happening slowly, it's just that I've been consumed with Evie and didn't notice it as much.  I really enjoy watching her play.  I think her favorite thing to do right now is make up games with her farm animals.  She gives them roles and seems to imitate life with them.  A lot of the time it involves them going potty.  Marea's favorite TV show is Little Bear.  It's a great show, it's very simple and fun.  And now Gary and Marea often play  Little Bear.  She's the little bear, he's father bear, etc. , and they play games and call each other with those names.  And Homer is Cat of course.  And i'm mother bear.  

Evie is taking off right now.  She's starting to reach and grab at things, and of course, put them straight to her mouth.  She's a big wet drooly mess a lot of the time too.  I wonder if it's teeth?  It's early, but it could be happening.  Or maybe it's just the beginning of the oral phase.  She's laughing now too.  It's so cute.  She is so verbal and social, it blows me away.  She likes eye contact, and she'll coo and giggle and smile for as long as I stay engaged.  One thing Evie doesn't like is the car.  The child FLIPS on most car rides.  It drives me crazy.  I think it's just the car seat that she hates.  But sometimes it's necessary!  I also tried to give her a bottle of formula the other day and she absolutely would not have it.  The kid is addicted to the boob.  I don't blame her.  Those boobs made those sweet cankles!