Wrapping Up the Holidays

I was finally able to download our holiday photos (we are having computer issues in a major way)  Anyways, Charlie's first Christmas and New Years were amazing!   Santa did a good job with the presents, but Charlie enjoyed wrapping paper and tissue much more.  He celebrated New Years with his cousin Maelin and he definitely proved to be the life of the party!  In fact, he had so much fun at dinner, he ended up leaving the restaurant without his pants.  That's our party-animal Charlie :)  (Long story and I won't gross you out with the details, but lets just say we do not leave the house without at least 2 extra outfits now!)

Happy 2012!

Zoo Lights

My new ride

Hey ladies! Check out my new car

Merry Christmas!

Opening presents with Maelin

Go Pack!  My Daddy and Uncle Brett got Packer jerseys that match mine

Happy New Year! (I found my pants...)

Cheesy Santa Pictures

Every kid needs to have cheesy Santa pictures, right?!  Well, I stumbled across this set up at a mall downtown (check out the extremely fake looking background!) and I could not resist.  Charlie was indifferent to Santa - he just sat there content as can be.  I have to be honest, I was hoping he would scream for one picture or pull on his beard...

This is what I think he might have been thinking while sitting on Santa's lap:

"Those candy canes are way cooler than Santa - I want one!"

"This is the closest thing to a smile you are getting Mom"

"Alright, I am done with this guy - can I get down?"

Oh, Christmas Tree

On December 4th, we ventured out to the suburbs to cut down our Christmas tree.  We loaded up the family (dogs included, of course) on a mission to find the perfect tree for Charlie's first Christmas.  I am pretty particular, so of course I dragged us up and down every row at the tree farm to find the best one - I think we did it!

We have been in the Christmas spirit for a few weeks at the Hamilton House - it is so fun to have a little one to share the holiday with. One of our favorite things we have been doing this holiday season (besides cutting down and decorating our tree) is reading Charlie all of his Christmas books (he has quite the collection!) It has been fun to read the stories to Charlie that Steve and I enjoyed when we were little :)

I am sure we will have some more 2011 Christmas updates - stay tuned!


 

Found the tree!! (Kenadee approves)

Getting ready to cut it down

Dragging it to the car - Daddy forgot his gloves so Mommy had to drag my tree

Wow!  This thing is short!!

Is this present for me?

Jingle Bells!

I love my tree!

Class of 2033

Charlie went to his first (of what will be many) Badger game in November.  Steve is starting to brainwash him early in hopes that he will choose to go to school at UW-Madison - will he be a future Badger?!  Maybe!  He had a pretty good time in Madison as we showed him around...

Chillin' on the terrace

Enjoying the Badger Game

Go Badgers!

  We need to work on Charlie's 'Jump Around' moves ;)

The Three Musketeers!

The picture says it all....

A Very THANKFUL Thanksgiving

"This year on Thanksgiving we were very thankful that our car decided to die in the garage rather than on the highway during our drive back to Wisconsin..."

Yep, that's right, the car decided not to start after we had packed it up for our Thanksgiving holiday back in Wisconsin.  After loading it up with baby gear, Thanksgiving pies, 2 dogs and oh yes, the baby (who, by the way, hates the car seat so much that he twists his body in ways that amaze me just because he does not want to go in his seat!);  we felt pretty good - we were leaving on time (and during one of Charlie's nap times which is crucial during a 'road trip'), had everything packed and we were all accounted for in the car... and then NOTHING!  Wait a few minutes, try again-NOTHING!  Steve and I looked at each other and started laughing - this was not happening!  But yes, it was happening and it happened.  So, needless to say, Charlie's first Thanksgiving was spent in Chicago.  After the shock of the car not starting and calling our families to tell them the news, we made the best of the situation and went to the grocery store to get all of the stuff we needed for our last minute Thanksgiving dinner.  We had such a fun day - we think we might have started a new tradition for the 3 of us :)

And by the way, on our Christmas list this year, a new car - ha ha!

Charlie and his first turkey - a mini Butterball Turkey Breast (the only thing the grocery store had left besides 30lb turkeys!)

Happy Turkey Day 2011!

Can You Find Me?

Hint:  In picture # 1, I have on my best flirt face.  In picture #2  I am sportin' some argyle  (and you can't see my face)

Good Luck ;) 

xoxo,
Charlie

PS - These are my friends from one of my playgroups. Our Moms set up a photo shoot for all of us at one of our play dates :)

Picture # 1

Picture # 2