Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

We'll post more later, but we have had a jolly good morning and we're getting ready to go out and see family this afternoon/evening. We hope that you've also had a great day!

Building My Self-Esteem

Margot: We're going to the doctor because Jolly is itchy.
Me: Jolly's doctor is called a vet. That's what you call a doctor for animals. Jolly is a dog and a dog is a kind of animal.
Margot: We're going to the vet.

[some time passes]

Margot: A dog is a kind of animal.
Me: That's right, a dog is a kind of animal!
Margot: Very good, Mama! You remembered! A dog is a kind of animal! Good job, Mama!

She was genuinely proud of me for remembering the fact that I had just taught her. Those are the sort of low expectation situations in which I can shine!

Buttering Me Up

This morning I am Margot's "Great, good Mama". She called me that after I carried her downstairs and repeated it again after I gave her bagel. She even tacked on "I love you" to that last one.

I'm just waiting for her to ask for the keys to the car now.

A Conversation with Margot

Margot: I need my own shower curtain, Mama.
Me: What?
Margot: For my bathtub!
Me: You have a bathtub?
Margot: I need my own bathtub! I don't want to steal your bathtub and steal your shower curtain.
Dad: What do you need your own bathtub for?
Margot: For my shower curtain. ... I need two bathtubs!
Margot: (walking away) hey guys, I need my own shower curtain with a bathtub!

Things I Don't Understand

Why Margot calls the book "Blueberries for Sal" by the name "Robin".

Cutie Bear (Snoozing)

A couple of bonus pics for the Margot-starved among you.

Snoozing Cutie Bear and Friend

Snoozing with her Christi-doll (thanks CB!) in the stroller

A White . . . Halloween?

I had been planning a post with some pictures of the leaves turning, and some words about how it has gotten cold out here recently. After a spring that seemed to last from March into August, then only about 3-4 weeks of proper summer, we've snapped toward the chilly side.
But of course, I wasn't getting my post done in a timely fashion, so New England Weather trumped me.
On Sunday it was cold and rainy all morning, then broke out the white stuff and snowed all afternoon. Biggest ol' flakes I've seen for a long time, too.

Early afternoon, once the snow started sticking.

Not a lot of accumulation...

... but enough to coat on grass and leaves.

Around the time we went to bed, it turned back to rain (which continued much of the night, I think). Some towns in NH or further west apparently got two inches of accumulation or more.
It's enough to make a guy think about putting on the snow tires and hard-top!

Miss Independence

Since turning two, Margot has become very opinionated about what she can and can't do. This has lead to some pretty hysterical situations. Case in point, Margot was determined to put these pants on HERSELF! Who are we to tell her that they are upside down and won't stay on that way?


In addition to trying the impossible, Margot also puts hysterical limits on what she can and can't do. She has instituted the rule that "Margot cannot walk up the stairs." Note, this is not because any parental figures have told her that she can't, but because she wants to be carried up. She actually goes up the stairs many times a day on her own to get things that I won't get for her.

My favorite random rule came out yesterday when we were getting ready to get into the car. After insisting that she had to wear her new rain boots in the sunny 70 degree weather, Margot then claimed that she had to be carried to the car "Because Margot has her boots on."* I looked at her and had no idea where to start arguing about how wrong this was. Of course, I gave up and just carried her to the car, shaking my head the whole time.

* Yes, Margot refers to herself in the third person.

Margot's Second Birthday

Margot turned two last Friday, so we had a little party over the weekend.

Naturally, there was cake - with blueberries, Margot's favorite:

... and presents:

(Thanks to Great-Grandpa Bob for Bobby the dog!)

One of those presents was a cool car - strangely, also called Bobby! (Thanks Auntie M and almost-Uncle C!)

Aine thought the car was cool - good enough to follow it and Margot around the yard...

... or even to share a wagon ride with.

Soren and Brady followed Margot (and/or her cookie?).

Danny liked the cookies too.

In case the cake and cookies weren't enough, there were also cupcakes. Soren enjoyed one.

Sam the puppy visited from next door, to play with Elisa among others. She wore him out.

Sigrid just liked sitting on the lawn (or the lawn blanket, even though it prevents her from eating grass).

We hope that everyone had as good a time as we did!

Robert's 93rd

We celebrated Robert's 93rd birthday this evening.

Unfortunately, the best photo I got (out of only a few attempts) was of him wearing Margot's black-and-white striped headband with a bow.

We're really lucky to have Bob nearby, and watching him with Margot (and vice versa) is always a treat.

Many happy returns, Bob!