A happy Christmas was had by all, I'd say. I thought I'd just post a few pictures of our gatherings.
(Except the first Christmas party, at the Marttila farm on Dec. 23 -- for some reason we didn't get our cameras out. Maybe because we had a hectic schedule, with the eating, the churchgoing, the present opening, and work the next day for several of us, along with the Losure clan's departure for points east and south the next day.)
Our Christmas Eve stop was the Losures' in St. Paul, where we entered a neat, cozy home and within a day had created this:
It wasn't quite that bad the whole time we were there -- this was the scene of a seat-cushion "doghouse." But we were pretty good at bringing a little bit Christmas chaos with us as we traveled!
Erik got to meet his Great-Aunt Karen (as well as Great-Uncle Walt, and Uncle Michael). Isn't it awful that it skips right to "great" on the aunts and uncles -- they don't get to be "grand" first? It makes them sound old before their time. If it would do any good, I'd start a protest.
Sofia stayed busy with many activities, including Nerf ball "hunting" in the basement, playing on her new (toy) laptop, reading books, playing on the neighbors' swings, and tea parties with pirates and monsters.
On Sunday morning, we headed down to the Losure farm in Iowa for yet another Christmas gathering. There were several hits of Christmas, including this little combo mirror/brush compact, which, for Sofi, also served as a phone -- she and Great-Uncle Dave made many "phone calls" to each other.
This zebra hat got a lot of attention as well (as you might guess from looking at it). Great-Uncle Dave got himself a funky hat too, and little Erik got one also -- a black hat with orange spikes, including a spiky tail.
There's music everywhere the Losures gather, and Sofia did a little dancing ...
... and a little playing, on her bongo drums.
A snow bunny -- or snowman with bunny ears, depending on whom you ask -- was built also. It didn't stay long, however -- the weather was too nice for just sitting in the sunshine!One last gift was waiting for Dave when we got home. It's got a bit of a story behind it: Ever since Dave got his master's degree in the spring of 2006, he's been complaining (in jest) that he never got his "Master of Science" T-shirt. (There's a hokey radio skit about a master of science on public radio sometimes, if you've ever heard it. The phrase also has a "He-Man: Master of the Universe" ring to it.)
So, this Christmas, I thought I'd get him something he'd actually asked for. I had it printed by a seller on Etsy, the site where Mom has her shop:
Dave's worn his new T-shirt proudly already. (Though not to work -- he thought that might be a little obnoxious, since no one else there has a master's degree and they might not get the joke.) The peach-colored thing in the middle is a fist, in case you can't tell. I should have make that a little clearer in the design, but it still works, I think. The plant is crown vetch, the invasive species that Dave spent two years of his life studying.Now to sell a few of these on eBay (for all those other satirical masters of science who studied crown vetch -- it's got to be an underserved market).
And THIS is a picture of a young man who just ROLLED OVER! (For the second time -- it took me a minute to get the camera, so I missed the first one.) He looks a little concerned in this photo, but in general once he gets on his tummy, he's quite pleased with himself.Mom wrote in her Christmas letter that Erik seems to develop before our eyes, and that seems especially true in the last few days. Erik had two teeth show up on the night before his five-month birthday (Dec. 28). And on New Year's Eve, he rolled over for the first time; sat up in his swing trying to get the little stuffed animals hanging above him (Mommy's got to remember to buckle him in that from now on!); and played for about half an hour in his exersaucer (which is far longer than he's been able to stand up till now), just entertaining himself with the attached toys while we got ready to go to my sister's for an informal New Year's Eve. Today, he showed he is a little man with ambitions -- Dave watched him as he lay on the floor, eyeing the garbage can nearby; then he rolled over so he was within reach of the garbage can, grabbed it and tipped it over! (Then Daddy picked him up and spoiled his fun.) Also new today, he's also standing nearly on his own strength -- Mom and I both noticed that we have to hold him mostly just to help him keep his balance.
It's exciting watching him -- but there's also a fear starting to nag at me as I look at this old crowded farmhouse, summed up in two words: BABY PROOFING ...
Sigh. I'd better get started on that soon -- Erik's growing as we speak!
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