Christmas! Part II...

Well... onto our celebrations part II! For the past few years now, our Christmas holidays are pretty predictable in the sense that we have been participating in the same traditions. I love continuing traditions because I think there is excitement in that.

We spend Christmas Eve with Chris' family at his brother and sister-in-law's house (Brian and Maureen). They have a beautiful big new home and always prepare a yummy meal for everyone.

Unfortunately, Colin still had been battling a cough that just wouldn't go away, so we had to bring the nebulizer with us to give him a treatment.

Afterwards, Colin was having a good time crawling around on the floor playing with his ball. Seriously, the ONLY toy we could bring with us to any house and he would be perfectly content playing with just that...

Although you wouldn't be able to tell from this picture, he was a bit cranky when we first go there because his afternoon nap was cut so short. He is definitely a kid who needs his sleep!

Remember that post I did awhile back about "the look"? Well, that look has morphed into something more dramatic now when it comes to taking pictures. As soon as Colin sees the camera, he drops his chin down and looks at you just like this...It's quite funny but challenging to get smiling pictures anymore! This moment tells me "Mooommmm....stop following me around with the camera!".

Here Colin is having fun with Daddy....his buddy. These two can ALWAYS have a good time together.

I think it's pretty obvious whose son Colin is...just look at their foreheads (sorry hunney!) and noses!

This picture makes me giggle....giving each other the "look".

Happy little boy!

Playing before dinner...

(sorry about the pictures being crooked...I thought I rotated them!)

Dinner time! Mommy and Daddy used to take self-portraits all of the time and it's fun to take them with Colin now...

Ok, check out lazy bones...he knocked his cup over so that he wouldn't have to hold it while taking a sip!

After dinner we played a fun $1 store grab bag game...

Colin's getting ready to celebrate the new year and all that it's going to bring our family!

Christmas pajamas just for Santa!

Aunt Maureen and Uncle Brian...

Aunt Beth and Uncle Jason...

Gammy and Grandpa...

Trying to get a kiss from my little boy...

We had a great time with the Tobin family....our tradition in the past has been that we go to the Christmas Eve service at our church, but we can't make the 5:30pm service since it's early and this year, the 11pm was too late to bring Colin. We brought him last year and he slept through the whole thing in his carrier, but he was also 8 months then as opposed to 20. Hopefully we will be able to resume that again in the future...

More to come tomorrow with Christmas day festivities!

Christmas! Part I....

We have had such a fantastic holiday week/weekend that I couldn't fit it all into just one post, so it's probably going to take me several posts to accomplish all of the fun we have had! We have had a whole lot of cuteness with Colin so we are excited to share! We hope you all had a very magical Christmas weekend as well!

Our celebration started on Wednesday when Uncle Timmy came here all the way from North Carolina to visit on his way up to my parent's house. Uncle Pat came with him and we went to Daddy's basketball game versus Villanova. It was a disappointing loss, but, we had fun all the same! The next morning, the boys were playing Mario Kart and Colin wanted to get in on the action. He even wanted to be like one of the boys without his shirt on...



Later that day, we had Colin's Christmas Party at his school (The Growing Tree Children's Academy) and he had such a fun time with his buddy Tommy. I think he thought we were leaving him at first so he was a little whiney, but then realized we were there to have fun with him!
I love how Colin is waiting patiently in this picture with the other kids for the food because he is waiting patiently to not want any of it and in turn, throw it...

"Hey Mom, I know you are taking a picture of me!"

Having fun with Tommy....

After the party, we decided to start up an old tradition that Chris and I used to have and we went to one of our favorite restaurants (and the location of some of our 1st dates), for a yummy pre-Christmas dinner. On the way, the sun was setting so beautifully, so I had to stop and take a picture...

Off to the right is where Chris proposed on a dock...

Colin was more interested in everything else going on around us that night. He was chatting it up with the waiters and waitresses hanging around our table...

...see them in the background?

On our way home we stopped and saw our buddy Meredity where Colin got to open his present!

That night, we finished off the start of our celebration opening some of the other fun gifts that Colin had received from friends....

More to come from Christmas Eve and Christmas day with Parts II and III!

Pajama Day!

Colin is all ready for Christmas Pajama day at school!! We're almost there!!

We Met Zoe!

After 8 months we were finally able to meet our friend Zoe! She was born to great friends of ours, Amy and Charlie, and we can't believe it took THIS long to finally get together! Ah, such is life I suppose...

Zoe is the cutest little thing! Colin started out nice and gentle and gave Zoe lots of kisses...

Isn't she the cutest?!

For the most part, Colin played pretty nicely, however, he is definitely a toddler boy now because he is a bit rough at times!

This picture makes me giggle...he knew I was taking a picture and he looks like he is posing!

While we made lunch....pizzas!...Colin and Zoe played together on the kitchen floor.

Good ole' household toys!

I can't believe this is the extent of the pictures that I got...but thanks guys for a great day! :)

Colin's New "Do"

Colin got his THIRD haircut today and I just love it so much! It's a flashback to his 1st hair cut when we originally tired out the fohawk (correct spelling?) and loved it. Although Colin wasn't as perfect this time around, he was still a pretty good boy for having someone cut his hair for 10-15 minutes AND use the buzzer!

Here's the "before shot" just as Lisa started cutting...

By this point, he had ripped off the "cape" and wasn't interested in keeping it on, so you can imagine how much hair was covering his clothing...

He was pretty easily distracted by the wheel of the tractor, the mirror, the itsy bitsy spider, and daddy, but then we'd have to try and move on to the next thing before he'd get too antsy.

He kept wanting to see what Lisa was doing, but this is why it's worth us paying the "big bucks" for a kids haircut. She worked so quickly and his hair looks great!

I don't have any real great "after" shots of Colin (I know, WHAT was I thinking?!) but I'm sure there will be some great ones with Christmas coming up! We went to the Gallagher's house for their annual holiday party, so here are a few pics of Colin all dressed up with his new "do" at their house...

Here he is with his girlfriend Kaia (although he's been cheating on her lately with Katey at school!)...

They just love each other! :)

Little drummer boy...

Always trying to kiss each other...

An attempted shot of all the kids at the party...

Believe me, more pics to come!