Hi Everyone!
This is what Daddy and I looked like at 7:00 a.m. on Christmas morning!
Well, much has transpired (how's that word for a 2 year old's vocabulary?) in the last month. I am now 2 and I can say "I'm two!" I'm pretty proud of that fact. I feel like such a big boy now.
A few weeks back Daddy discovered that I could crawl out of my crib. So, Mommy and Daddy converted my crib into a toddler bed. Now I can get into and out of my bed whenever I want. It's great (though I don't think Mommy and Daddy like it). I'm pretty good about staying in my bed at night and for my nap. Sometimes, though, it takes a little bit of encouragement for me to stay in bed.
Well, back to the festivities of the past month. The up side of having a birthday on December 22nd is that I get to celebrate it twice. Once at my house on my birthday and then again at Mimi and PaPa's when I get there to celebrate Christmas. Not a bad deal! Mommy and Daddy are a bit concerned that I might have gotten to the point that I expect to get presents every day--since the birthday and Christmas presents have been flowing since December 22. I don't think that happened--but it was a lot of fun. Now I have to wait for a whole year until it starts again.
Here is my December 22 birthday cake--it was a chocolate marble cake. There are three candles because Mommy thinks I need one to grown on.
Here is my birthday cake at Mimi and PaPa's. It was a homemade yellow cake--yum yum. Sarah picked out the sugary decorations. I liked how sweet they were.
Well, soon after the birthday party, Christmas was upon us. We had early Christmas morning at home and then went to Aunt Susanne and Uncle Paul's for our Birthday party for Jesus breakfast.
Opening presents from Santa (I call him "Anta" at 7:05 a.m.). I got a new train board (the green thing I'm sitting on) and a wooden Thomas the Train set--I love playing with my new train!
Eli waiting for the Birthday party breakfast to begin. The whipped cream was mint flavored--that was a first for me!
Uncle Paul was the master chef of the breakfast. We had everything--scrambled eggs, waffles, pancakes, monkey bread . . . it was all very tastey!
I got to help Arin open some of her Santa presents. I had fun watching them open their gifts!
After breakfast we went home to relax--I took a good long nap and Mommy, Daddy, Opa and Oma had a chance to open their stockings.
When I woke up I got to help with final preparations before leaving again to go back to Aunt Susanne and Uncle Paul's for Christmas dinner. Here I am in my birthday outfit from Oma and Opa and my new Christmas apron that Santa brought me. I still love helping Daddy do the dishes.
Che Che, Uncle Mike and baby Hayden came for Christmas dinner (we missed seeing Caleb this year!). Baby Hayden is becoming quite adventerous. Next year we're both going to want to open everyone else's Christmas present--but this year, I had the monopoly on that front. Actually, I behaved myself pretty well--but my cousins were very kind to invite me to assist them!
Here's Hayden waiting to open the biggest gift!
Having fun with Obi. I felt VERY TALL!
All the Western New York cousins minus Caleb (Uncle Mike was playing the part of Caleb). We are posing here with our new books from our Great Great Aunt Janet. Thank you Aunt Janet. I love my new Garbage Truck book--it's the best!!
Saying good-bye to Oma and Opa the day after Christmas. I like having Oma and Opa visit my house. Gabi came this time too and I always enjoy her visits! Pipi and Lala don't like it when Gabi visits!
Playing with my new train. I love putting it together--and I can do it all by myself. Mommy and Daddy think I need help (actually they just want to play with my train too)!
New Year's Eve, Mommy, Daddy and I headed to Mimi and PaPa's house. On New Year's Day we had Christmas with the Hoffman side of the family. It was great to see Mimi and PaPa, Aunt Lucy, Timmy, Sarah and Uncle Steve. I love playing with Timmy and Sarah!
Aunt Lucy and I take a pretty good picture--don't you think!
Keeping up with Timmy and Sarah wiped me out. I couldn't even finish my lunch. I needed a serious nap!
While I napped, Daddy made the famous Vetebrod and it was yummy, yummy, yummy. I can't wait until he makes it again.
Mimi let me help her open some of her presents.
Mimi is always so good about reading me another book when I say "again." I say "again" a lot too!
On Sunday, my Great Uncle Steve, Great Aunt Pat and Great Uncle John came over for brunch after church. Daddy and Mommy made a triple batch of Swedish pancakes. Mimi made a delicious fruit salad and cooked up some sausages. It was a feast! Can you see the big stack of Swedish pancakes in the center of the table? There were actually two heaping plates full of pancakes. I think this brunch should become a tradition.
Poor "young" Uncle Steve was put with Sarah, Timmy and me at the kids table. We were honored to have him sit with us. He was very helpful when it came to passing that huge plate of Swedish pancakes. Besides, I just like to hang out with Uncle Steve!
Well, my birthday and Christmas were a lot of fun. I think that the presents have finally stopped flowing. As much as I enjoy the presents, I especially love seeing all my family!
One other special event I wanted to mention was that Mommy finally finished Mimi and PaPa's 50th anniversary quilt. Mimi and PaPa have now been married 52 years--yep, the quilt took a while (of course I was born shortly after Mommy told them she was going to make a family quilt--that may have contributed to the delay). Members of both the Hoffman and Kellogg side of the family contributed messages on fabric squares and then Mommy arranged them in the quilt. Below is the picture of Mimi and PaPa with their new quilt. They have it hanging in the sun room (still in progress). Mommy said it was a fun project. Everyone seemed to enjoy reading what people said on the quilt squares.
Happy belated 50th anniversary Mimi and PaPa.
As always, thank you for reading my blog. I love hearing from you! I should note that my blog is a little later than I had hoped. I got the stomach bug and had my first ever fever. It was 101.4. I stayed home from Sunday school and church today so as not to pass on my germs. I am feeling much better today though. Tomorrow I should be 100%. Here's hoping.
Love to all!
Jamee
