Could there be a more festive month than December? It’s January 9, and I’ve yet to put my tree away — I just can’t bear to say goodbye to the season. It was a month of highs and lows, but filled with lots of holiday joy.
I came home one evening to Tim and Soren “folding laundry.”
Soren is still as much of a book lover as he’s ever been. Each week he approaches the librarians to ask about a book or author he’s been thinking about. He knows the names of half a dozen authors and likes to check out multiple books by one author. One of our favorites of late is April Sayre, and Soren has memorized her book, “Go, Go, Grapes.” I tried to catch him “reading” it on video and was semi-successful.
One afternoon Soren took emptying the dishwasher into his own hands. Anything with wheels is Soren’s favorite thing.
Just a regular morning conversation:
Another from the same day. Soren told me his Duplo people were “having a meeting.” I asked what the meeting was about and he said, “Heavenly Father.” He didn’t quite repeat the performance for the video, but close.
That night, Soren and I were enjoying dinner when he told me, out of the blue, that the pasta was “mighty tasty.” Melted my heart.
Soren spends a lot of time by my side in the kitchen. During this cooking moment, his best quote was, “It’s a gondola!”
“Now it’s a bridge!”
Every Monday after storytime at the library, Soren veers right when we should be heading left to go home. The fire station is like a magnet for my boy.
In the middle of the month we hit a small bump in the road that is our life plan. One night, when I was physically incapable of leaving my bed, a dear friend delivered a Vietnamese feast. Soren was thrilled when it turned into a bedroom picnic. Noodles and peanut sauce everywhere.
Soren didn’t seem to mind a few days of playtime with dad while I laid around in bed. Although he did spend plenty of time cuddling up to me.
Two days post-miscarriage I needed to get out of the house. I successfully made it from the house to the car, then we drove around looking at Christmas lights (and eating a most delicious frappe from Rancatore’s). We swung by the temple to show Soren the condensed version of a life-size nativity. I took photos from the car while Tim surely taught Soren something really important about the temple or the birth of the Savior or something.
We got the green light from the midwife two days before Christmas, so we jumped in the car and headed south for Virginia. I spent Christmas Eve day on the couch while Tim and my mom forced water and iron pills and food down my throat. By Christmas morning I was ready to party.
Had to document the first present of the morning. Who knew happiness could be bought with a $5 Mr. Potato Head from Amazon?
Don’t mind the eerie yellow glow from my failed attempt at shooting in manual. There wasn’t much light in the room, OK?
Truman and Soren had a few minor Christmas tiffs, but they still love each other.
New sparkly boots from Grandmama!
The other big winner of the day was the giant firetruck I happened to acquire for free. It’s pretty much the greatest thing Soren has ever seen.
Evidence that he couldn’t put the firetruck down. It had to accompany us on our drive to Aunt Mel’s for the Christmas feast. While we were there, Truman took a sharpie to the truck and literally marked it with a T. Magic Eraser to the rescue!
The 26th was the perfect day for a trip to the zoo. Sunshine, 50 degrees, and lots of active animals. I had a hard time deciding whether to go — a day at home to rest in peace and quiet sounded lovely, but I wasn’t sure if I could handle missing out on the fun (I experience a lot of FOMO). My dad came up with the perfect solution — a wheelchair. I walked around for a solid hour before succumbing to being pushed around. I don’t think I regret that we didn’t get any photos of that. All nine cousins are pictured here, although Everett is hard to spot beneath the anteater.
Three little monkeys watching Mei Xiang (or is it Tian Tian?) in the panda house.
I never would’ve expected the armadillos to be such a hit.
The next morning was another downtown day. Soren and Ev played around the Capitol Christmas tree while I waited in line at the Botanic Garden.
When we were in Virginia last July, Adriel asked Soren incessantly if she could hold him. Every time, he held out his hand to refuse. This time, he was all for it. These two had some great times together.
After a 45-minute wait, and after finally getting our party of 15 together, we made it inside. Soren’s first stop was the water at the Garden Court. It’s a miracle none of the kids ended up submerged.
And then, the moment we’d been waiting for — the trains!
Quick flashback moment: One year ago.
Just one more flashback.
The day was too perfect to stop there (60 degrees!) so we had a picnic by the reflecting pool. Note that Soren is the only kid with a coat on — I tried taking it off, but his shirt was drenched from playing in the fountains at the Botanic Garden.
Most of the kids were terrified of the birds that got a little friendly with our food. Soren’s response? “I want to touch them!”
I couldn’t bear to go back home with such dreamy weather, so we opted for a stroller nap. No complaints from this kid (if he’s offered a pacifier, that is).
There is probably no memorial more fun and picture-worthy than the FDR. One day I should go through all my old photos and compile every FDR memorial picture I have since it opened in 1997. Here are a few cousins waiting in a bread line.
Everett requested I take this picture.
Soren woke up in time to explore half the site. Despite the crowd of people waiting their turn to touch FDR and Fala, Soren took his sweet time examining the statues.
And attempting to take a ride on the dog.
Rock climbing.
I had parked by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, so we spent a few minutes there before heading home. Soren ran circles around the giant MLK for a good 15 minutes.
He probably made his way into a dozen family pictures as he ran about. This time, he stopped to join one family for a nice photo bomb.
Had to get one more shot of all nine grandkiddies together.
And then a silly pose.
These two were born a month apart, so we made them hold hands.
We celebrated second Christmas on the 28th so the whole family could partake of the annual Bethlehem dinner. And second Christmas means more presents! Soren is so fancy — he’s still decked out in church clothes when the other eight are in their jammies.
I wish I had taken more photos of the kids playing. My mom’s house is chock full of toys, and the kids just played and played for hours. Once my old Lego collection came out, Tim had no complaints about participating. (Don’t mind Soren’s towel-ed getup. I think he was on his way to bed after a bath.)
Speaking of baths…
And to finish off the month, I saw a movie in the theater for the first time in two-and-a-half years. (And it was the first time ever for Carson and Ev!) Fun to sit between two popcorn-loving little girls.
Tagged: Amazon, Annie, Boston, Boston temple, December, FDR Memorial, Jr. Memorial, Martin Luther King, miscarriage, Mr. Potato Head, National Zoo, United States Botanic Garden, US Botanic Garden, Virginia
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