A very merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year with Abe and Mei Li.  Here are a few random pictures.

Mrs. Claus aka baby Jesus rockin out in front of the tree.  This year Mei Li starred as 1 of 2 baby Jesuses in the church Christmas pageant.  She did awesome until a gas bubble got the best of her.  Mary panicked and quickly handed her back to me.  

 Abe and Mei Li hanging out in front of the tree with a few of their gifts.  Abe got to wear his PJs all day.  He got the tea set from santa claus (per request).

 I just liked Mei Li's expression in this picture.

 On Christmas Eve we made a Christmas tent, because Abe really wanted to go camping (yay Abe!).  We had fun hanging out in it....and even opening our gifts.

 The best gift.

 Abe wanted to leave Santa popcorn rather than milk and cookies (he gets enough sweets).  The bowl on the left is for the reindeer--kibble and celery.

 The kids in their Christmas PJs.  Sarah made some cute matching christmas robes too!  I liked this picture because it looks like a sweet little family photo.  I guess it's a modern day family!

The day after christmas we took Abe bowling.  We thought it was his first time bowling, but we just found an old camera that contained evidence of a bowling trip 2 years ago.  

Surely this is Mei Li's first bowling trip.

All Aboard!

This year we went on a surprise trip to ride the santa train!  We got up early and got a quick breakfast at columbia city bakery (apparently its Abe's favorite), and then headed out to North Bend to catch the train.  

 Daddy and Mei Li riding out to see santa.

 The train takes you to the depot in Snoqualmie where you meet santa and eat cookies and hot chocolate.

 Also, the highlight for Abe, was the Thomas the train table set up in one of the train cars in Snoqualmie.  He could have cared less about Jolly ol St Nick.

One the way back they offered up the mic to anyone who wanted to sing Christmas carols.  It was a fun outing!

2 months

Smiiiiiiile!

Mei Li's really starting to smile and respond to people's faces.  Look at those chubby cheeks!

move over uncle ja-bob

Abe's school took a field trip to soundbridge at benaroya.  Half the field trip fun was riding the bus downtown.  Teacher Erica asked all the kids what the highlight of the field trip was.  Abe's favorite part was the snack.  Go figure.  It was crackers and a homemade granola bar.  

Little bud on the cello.

Christmas cousins

Today we went for our annual santa picture at Nordstroms.  One minor hitch--the jingle bell run.  Neil and Katie went early to get a place in line, but the run was scheduled to start right around the same time we needed to be down town with the kids.  So, to add to the fun (for Abe anyways) we took the light rail into town.  Abe wore his ear phones--because he was worried the train would be loud.

Abe was happy to be rocking on the horse, in fact he rocked so hard he slid all the way to the back of Santa's chair. Frannie's a little nervous about the big guy.  

 Afterwards we went to grandmoo's house for an encore photo shoot for her Christmas cards with the greats.  

Silly cousins.

Turkey Day 2012!!! Gobble gobble gobble!!!

This morning I took Banjo out for a run around Seward Park.  It was my first run in a LONG time and felt good (and bad - hack hack).  I think Banjo appreciated the exercise.

This year we hosted Thanksgiving lunch at our house.  I cooked the bird on the ol' smoker for 4 hours, and it turned out quite tasty.  I also think it will make for some tasty turkey jook as well (one my new favorite Thanksgiving traditions - you put all of the turkey bones in a big pot of water and rice and cook it for many hours, creating a turkey-rice porridge - super tasty).  

Our guests included my family and Emily's family, minus Ruth and Clave, but plus Melvin.  Everyone brought something really good to share - my personal favorites were my mom's stuffing (as always) and  Jenilyn's butternut squash soup (I love a good soup).

After dinner we had some apple and pumpkin pie, along with a pumpkin roll that Emily and Abe made for Mei Li's one-month birthday yesterday.  After dessert we played a rousing game of Poverty - a Hoff Thanksgiving tradition.

 Abe wanted to be on Grandpa David's team for Poverty.  He's wearing his headphones because all the adults were being too loud with their incessant talking...

 ..and probably because he was getting really tired.  After playing cards with us for a bit, he wanted to hold Mei Li.  Then the immediately fell asleep hold her in his arms.  Super cute.

George and Abe getting some rest after a long Thanksgiving day.

One month old

You know what that means...photo shoot with Banjo!  Abe did not want any pictures taken without him, but I managed to sneak a few.

My mom made this sweater, and it's sized at 6 month.  It fits quite well at one month.

Working with dogs

When we drive places Abe likes me to tell him about things.  The other day he wanted me to tell him about semi trucks.  After I rattled off all I knew about semis, he asked why I didn't know very much about them, and I told him that people who drive semis would know more.  So, then he asked if I would tell him about my work.  So, as interesting as it is, I told him about my work, and about the Veterans and about how you should never smoke.  Then he asked me to tell him about the dogs.  It took me a long time, but I finally realized that the kid thought I was a Veterinarian, since I work with Veterans.

Fun with Curious George (Abe's preschool assignment)

George was a good little monkey and always very curious.  One day he went to Abe's house...

George helped Abe make cookies for our cookie exchange party.

 He watched Abe go to swimming lesson with Auntie Hannah (he couldn't go in because he didn't want to get his fur wet)

 George had fun at decorating cookies at the cookie party.

George with to see Brave at the Crest with Abe and grandma and grandpa.

Growing girl

 Here are some more recent pictures of Mei Li.

Dance party!

 Daddy has her in training.

Cute brother and sis.

First of many - 10 days old

On Halloween Emily was able to get the first picture of Mei Li and Banjo together.  Today she is 10 days old.  The quilt they are on was made by Grammie Ruth.  We took these pictures with Abe and Banjo every month until he was around 2.  I really should dig those up sometime and put them together.

I can't believe Emily got the 'Dood to look straight at the camera!

Sheepy's first Halloween!!!

We managed to get a little Halloween fun in lately.  On Mei Li's due date, October 14th, we went to a corn maze and pumpkin farm with Sarah, Katie, and Frannie.

We let Abe lead us through the corn maze.  That is, until he kept getting us lost by having us walk in circles.  Then the adults took over

We didn't pick out a pumpkin because we grew our own.  But Frannie got some.

There were quite a lot of pumpkins out.  I guess that's what happens when you go in the middle of October as opposed to the end, like we've done in years past.

We did some pumpkin carving with Grandpa Gung Gung at our house on Friday.  We had to go to the internet to get some ideas to carve

On Sunday afternoon Abe carved some pumpkins with Grandpa David.  He got to use a power drill to poke holes on the outside of a starfish.  Here Grandpa David is scraping off part of the starfish.  Abe looks very focused.

 We still had Mei Li's pumpkin to carve on Sunday afternoon after we got home.  Abe liked using the drill at Grandpa David's and Grandma Diane's, so we just poked Mei Li's pumpkin full of them.

Drill baby, Drill!!!  It sure is tough to get pumpkin goop out of drills though.

Abe had school on Halloween.  He was very excited to dress up as a firefighter.  He always needs to watch Mei Li get dressed before he leaves for the day.  And today he wanted to hold her for a little bit before we left.  Such a good older brother!

Cousin Denise and a new Dress

My Cousin Denise came out to visit Seattle last week, so we were all able to get together for dinner at my parents house last Thursday.  She lives in Richmond, Virginia, and the last time I saw her in Seattle was back in 2000 (and things sure have changed since then).  It was so great to see her, and great that she got to meet her newest 4-day old cousin Mei Li, and Abe too of course.

On Sunday my mom gave Mei Li a beautiful dress that she made.  When my parents were taking her picture with the dress, Abe got upset because he "didn't want her to get married".  Such a protective Big Brother.

More Mei Li!

Here are a few more pictures of Mei Li's arrival.

 Mei Li right after her arrival.  In Alaska they took Abe from Emily right away to do the weighing, measuring, APGAR, etc.  But this time they put Mei Li right on Emily's chest for a long time.  You can tell how she started beaming when she got to hold her.

 Hello little girl!

 The proud Papa with is little girl.

 Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

 The proud parents with their little one.

 I think this is the start of Mei Li's first bath.  She became super-red afterwards.  The pediatrician told us it had something to do with the bloodflow to her as she was being born.

 Hair time.

 Abe came by to visit his new sister with Grandpa David and Grandma Diane on Monday morning.  He ended up spending the day with us.

 It took Abe a little while to warm up to his new sister, but here is is looking at her on the bed.

 Nothing says 'Hello new baby' like a Dick's Deluxe.  Emily's parents picked up some burgers and milk shakes on their way to visit.

 With a pillow (and a little help from an adult) Abe held Mei Li.  He got real into it, and would ask to hold her every now and then.

 Abe likes holding his little sis.

 It had been a long few days for Abe (and Momma).  Here the little ones take a much needed nap.

 When Mei Li's pediatrician came by at night, Abe got to listen to her heartbeat.

 Uncle Scott came by for a visit on Tuesday morning before we were discharged.  Mei Li slept in his arms for a long time.

Mei Li in her Halloween outfit, getting ready to leave for home.