Radio silence up around here lately – hope you all had a magical holiday season!

We’ve been hibernating here on Mt. Valentine, basking in the rare opportunity to have 12 straight days of family time.

We haven’t killed each other yet, so we’re taking that as a good sign.

Kidding kidding kiddng…

It’s been AWESOME!

Ajax got off work early on the 23rd and came home around 2, whereupon I promptly found errands for him to do, so I could finish sewing his big Christmas present from me – PJ pants! Nothing like waiting until the last minute!!

Christmas Eve we went for a train ride:

then came home and built Ruby’s big present from Santa while she napped:

Isn’t that the most awesome kitchen? She LOVES IT!

After naps we watched The Polar Express:

made cookies:

had our big dinner:

and then left cookies for Santa:

After we got Ruby to bed (kiddo was up chatting away in her crib until 9:30! Excited for Santa…), we chilled for a minute and enjoyed the tree:

Then we put out the loot:

(Can you believe Santa brought us a cat?? Snort!)

We were hoping Ruby would sleep all night in her own bed, but she woke up around midnight so we brought her in with us. Just like my mom when I was a kid, I was up first, so I got coffee ready and then Ruby finally woke up, with a little prodding… I was the same way growing up – my mom had to wake me up every year. Ruby was all loungy-loungy, wanting snuggles and cuddles which we happily took, and then WE couldn’t wait anymore and said “Do you remember who came last night?” She sat up, thought for a sec, then bounded off the bed yelling “SANTA! I’M COMING TO SEE YOU!!!”

When she got out to the living room, she stopped dead in her tracks and her eyes were HUGE.  She was so excited about the kitchen and all the presents that she literally started to shiver.  She got really quiet and just… shivered.  Sweet girl.

It took a while to convince her that we should open our stockings or more presents – she just wanted to play with her new kitchen. And who could blame her!!

Santa was very good to her. She got this sweet hand-crafted doll from her grandma:

and Foofa from Santa:

and this awesome Little People castle from Grams… she’d played with it up in SF in October hasn’t stopped talking about it. Ben had the same one when he was a kid and loved it, so he was excited too:

I think that’s my favorite photo from Christmas.

Her last present (of MANY) was from Nana and PopPop, to help her get over her fear of doctors, was a whole Melissa and Doug doctor’s kit and a Dora book about going to the doctor. She’s giving Foofa a check up here:

After the crazy present opening, we (I) scrambled to get some gingerbread in the oven so we could take it over to our friend’s house for more crazy Christmas festivities.  We originally were just going to go over for beignets and coffee, but it turned into an awesome all day play and chow-fest with double cuteness in the form of Ruby and Vivi.  What’s cuter than one toddler on Christmas morning? Two toddlers.  I didn’t really take any photos over there… too busy thoroughly enjoying my friends and family and the food and the laughter and the girls.

We finally headed home around sunset and Ruby, having not napped at all, finally zonked out in the car.  We thought she was down for the night, but she popped back up around 7 and was like a little funny happy drunk, giggling and telling us she loved us.

After a snack and some milk and our regular bath and story routine she finally went back to sleep around 8:30… and I think we were asleep by 9!

More on this awesome staycation soon…

Happy New Year one and all!