First play, first tree

Dear Maya and Emi,

Mommy's just going to put up some quick pics with captions tonight, and only those from my camera, not my phone. Why, you ask? Because mommy just threw the phone out into the snow! Just kidding, but it might happen if I can't get it to upload my photos soon. Fortunately all the best photos of the week are from my camera. I guess that's always the case but sometimes mommy just isn't able to take the camera along so it's nice to have the phone--when it works, anyways!

• Maya, you went to your first play--a live version of A Charlie Brown Christmas

• Emi, you went to cut down your first tree! You were cold but toughed it out.

You resemble me more in this picture than any before! Thank you, sweet baby!

• Maya, you decorated the tree, umm...'creatively' but then we 'adjusted' it after you went to bed

• Emi, you're a good sport--even when Maya rolled on you the other day...and dressed you up.

Well, mommy's going back to battle with the phone. Love you both!

Cozy Thanksgiving, Winter Wonderland

Dear Maya and Emi,

Mommy has lots of pretty pictures to share tonight, but not much energy to put a lot of words down here. In short, the weather outside's been frightful, but playing with you two has been delightful. And, oh yeah, Thanksgiving happened, too. Here are some highlights from the week:

• Emi, you've not been too fond of baths, but finally seemed to enjoy this one!

• Also, Emi, you've gone back and forth between being very agreeable/sleeping close to 11 hours one night, to being so cranky/waking so often some other nights that we wondered if you were teething. Yesterday afternoon while you were being fussy, mommy kept Maya busy decorating a gingerbread house we'd received. No time to make icing? Peanut butter'll do. No Christmassy candies on hand? A box of Jelly Bellies, the very last thing left from Halloween, to the rescue!

• We had a doozy of a snowstorm the day before Thanksgiving. Maya, you had such a blast!

• Maya, mommy got this semi-vintage leafy outfit at a consignment sale for you for Thanksgiving, then Auntie Charlotte handed down this matching shirt for you, Emi! Yay!

• Maya, the snow was still on the branches the day after Thanksgiving but it wasn't too cold so you and mommy scouted out some locales for mommy to take photos. Holy moly, was it beautiful at the rail trail!

• And on Sunday we exchanged family photo shoots in the park. Mommy will share the other photographer's pics when I have the full resolution versions, but in the meantime, here are a few that daddy and I took

Well, time for bed. Love you two!

Our two little turkeys :)

Turkey, 2014
Maya Wakamatsu, born 2010
Materials: Magnadoodle, hand

Dear Maya and Emi,

As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, mommy would like to make a list of 5 things she's feeling especially thankful for at the moment.

1. Thankful for Emi's health and happiness: You've been giggling and smiling even more in the last few weeks. Last night you slept for 10 hours (well, there was one 5-10 minute period of fussing at 11, but close enough) which is one of the things mommy is most thankful for! Oh, and yesterday you rolled over for the first time, but mommy was too busy making coffee and didn't see it. Oh, well.

2. Thankful for Maya's growth and personality: It's been so much fun to interact with you and watch your creativity blossom lately. A few days ago you and Uncle Matt made a robot out of a box. Later that day you turned it into a turkey costume with Daddy's help. Then yesterday it became your movie-viewing seat(?) Your story-telling abilities are improving recently, too, including recounting your dreams to us. It's awesome watching you grow!

Robot Maya (photo by Aunt Rhi)

Turkey Maya

Maya watching The Jungle Book

3. Thankful for water: This morning when we woke up we had no running water in the house. When we showed you that nothing came out of the faucet, Maya, you immediately chirped, "We have to call the plumber!" and surprised us with your grasp and vocabulary. Luckily the plumber arrived quickly and had a new switch for the water pump in his truck so hot showers were available before long!

4. Thankful for electricity: We are in the midst of a snowstorm here and though our house doesn't tend to lose power due to wind, the super-heavy snow is downing trees all over the place. So far, we have just had a few flickers. Knocking on wood!

Elsa, our "snowperson"

5. Thankful for food: We have a huge turkey in the fridge that Aunt Rhi is going to cook for us tomorrow. For once we're not going anywhere on Thanksgiving and it's a good thing with all that snow out there! We're just going to stay home, cook, eat, and relax all day. 

Well, mommy's going to start relaxing right now. Love you two!