Christmas Card Chaos

Oh, the annual Christmas card. You buy the pajamas WAY in advance. You set up the Christmas decorations in early November in anticipation of the first photo session not going just right. You get yourself psyched up. You get the kids dressed and bring out the props. You try your very best to get the kids to cooperate. Invariably, you end up in tears.

Here's the very first attempt. Not bad, but maybe we can get one of them looking at the camera?

Is it even possible to get a four year old to smile normally for a picture?Maybe a change of venue will do the trick.

Or not.
Here they pause to get the fur out of their mouths (this is Sherwood's chair).

Let's try upstairs by the tree. That sounds like a good idea, right?

Even the dog is frustrated.

Usually I'm the first one to cry.

And the winner is....(note this is NOT in the pajamas and is, in fact, taken one morning before school. Not fantastic, but hell, we got it done).

Maybe next year I should leave it up to the professionals. Or start trying in July.

We hope everyone's Christmas was merry and 2010 brings you everything you're wishing for.

Sebastian's 2nd Birthday

Wow. Sebastian is 2: crazy. Him, not the fact that time is flying by faster than lightning. He's a spirited little man who lives to drive his older brother nuts. We had terrible 2 moments with Matthew for sure, but there are days when we wonder what we did as children to deserve Sebastian as adults! To call it "terrible" is probably (apt) not fair, but "trying" doesn't seem to cover it some days!

That being said, he's absolutely adorable. His smile melts even the angriest heart, and makes time outs especially difficult. He's really good at squeezing out one giant tear to hang just so on his VERY long eyelashes. As a result, all he has to do is say sorry and you're hugging him to the point of squishing! His personality is so big and he's such a goof. Always trying to make people laugh, whether dancing up a storm at the first sound of music (he loves Lady Gaga!!!) or grabbing your hands for a spontaneous round of Ring Around the Rosy.

We celebrated his birthday with our families and some Sesame Street theme. Sebastian loves all things Elmo and Abby. Here's the cake I made for him. Luckily Sebastian didn't cry when we served up his nose to Grandma and Grandpa to eat!

Here we help Sebastian celebrate another milestone. Happy Birthday, Sebastian!