Christmas

Since I moved to San Francisco in 2005, I have always tried to make it back to Chicago for Christmas.  I have missed three--one my first year here (working), on in 2010 when my parents came out, and this year, since I was too pregnant to travel.

We actually had a nice holiday on the west coast, although it certainly would have been nice to go back to the midwest.  But, santa did come to the new house, and Ethan enjoyed opening presents on Christmas morning.

The Greenbergs came over for Christmas dinner, which was nice.  Don't have any pics from dinner, but we did take a few family pics....

Once thing we realized--we need furniture!  We still do not have a dining table, and our living room is empty.....So we had dinner on card tables...it worked, but I think it is time to start furniture shopping!

37 weeks pregnant today.....

To the little girl currently residing in my stomach:

I can't wait to meet you!  I wonder so much: What will you be like?  How will you look?  What will you like to do?  Will you get along with your big brother?  What is your name going to be? (yes, your dad and I still haven't settled on a name....)

Last week, I had a follow-up ultrasound, and the nurse doing it showed me that you have hair!  So, I guess you won't be bald when you are born....maybe you will look like Ethan--he had brown hair on the sides of his head when he was born, before it all fell out when he was two months old...I guess we'll find out soon enough.  My only other data point is how you have been behaving in my stomach--you are much calmer than your brother was, with many less kicks and pokes....and in general you have been very shy during ultrasound appointments--hiding your face curled up into a tight ball.  So will you be calm and shy, or once you are born will you be the opposite?  I guess we will find out soon enough.

While I have no idea what the answers to any of these will be, I am so excited for your birthday, and having you join our family.  Your room is all ready, and we have lots of newborn clothes waiting for you (shopping for a girl has been so much fun.)  I am really looking forward to being the mother of a daughter and hope I can be half as great of a mom to you as my mom was to me.

For now, in case you are listening, please stay comfy and cozy through the holidays--I am scheduled to work through January 4 and have 9 people coming for Christmas dinner in two days!  After that, come anytime!  Love, Your Mom

Last night of Hanukkah

Yesterday, we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Greenberg's to celebrate the last night of Hanukkah   They had 25 family members over for a big party!  We had great food, my personal favorite:  homemade potato latkes.   In the setting of the heartbreaking events that just happened in Connecticut, I am so grateful for such family celebrations, and reminded to take nothing for granted.....

 We tried for a good family picture, but Ethan only wanted to make "silly" faces.

Here's a better pic of Ruth, Eileen and I

The highlight for Ethan was opening presents.  This year, he has started to "get" the Hanukkah traditions, learning about lighting a candle each night and opening a small gift.  The last night of the holiday is for the "big" gift--and boy did it not disappoint....he got a very elaborate train table from grandma and grandpa.

 Jason spent all of this morning putting it together...and Ethan loves it!  What fun!

Preschool Fun

Recently, Ethan's teachers shared a bunch of pictures that they took in the classroom.  They were fun to look at--we always wonder what he does there for 10 hours each day! The teachers certainly keep them busy, and the photos explain how he comes home in layers of mysterious dirt each night!

 Riding Bikes

 Playing with blocks

 Creating a band

 Playdough?

 Circle time

 Trains (this is Ethan's favorite activity, and usually what we find him doing when we pick him up!)

 Making a color wheel

 "Measuring" with blocks

 Trying out a stethoscope

 Reading time

 Practicing letters

Puzzles

Happy 35th Birthday!

Last night we got to celebrate Jason's 35th birthday   Boy are we getting old!  Jason enjoyed his favorite for dinner, Dungeness crab.  Ethan actually really liked it too.  I stuck to chicken.

For dessert, of course, an ice cream cake.  This year I found a peppermint one with red velvet cake.  We all agreed, quite tasty.  Happy Birthday Jason!!!

Thanksgiving in Chicago

We usually head to Chicago for Christmas, but his year it is too close to my due date, so we went for Thanksgiving instead.  Due to our work schedules and the exorbitant cost of flights, we flew in on Thanksgiving, and had to leave early Sunday morning.  So a short trip, but we were glad we could make it.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with mom and dad, and Jeff and Janice.


Friday, we went out to Park Ridge's "Winterwonderfest"--a community open house where shops and businesses stay open late and have treats.  Highlights included visiting the firehouse, where Ethan got to sit in a fire engine, as well as the Living Sea Aquarium, where he got to meet Santa.

Saturday, family form Milwaukee came down for lunch.  We enjoyed seeing great-grandma, aunt Judith, uncle Jim, aunt Cathy and cousin Stephanie.

And of course, Ethan enjoyed a lot of "grandpa time".

Unfortunately, my mom was not doing well when we were there.  She has lost a lot of her mobility and is really struggling with walking.  I am glad we got to visit.