Back to the routine 2013

After Jim being on "vacation" (I use the word loosely) 11 days at home with Helaina and I during the Christmas break, I'm fairly certain he was ready to get back to work on January 2nd to escape the madness - and for some peace and quiet.  It's always a fun and exciting time around the house, but we're constantly doing something or going somewhere with Helaina, or organizing and trying to regain control of the ever-constant mess of holiday toys.

 Christmas morning opening up her Santa pillow pet.

 Her first boy "Barbie doll".  Check out that face.  It didn't take her long to remove his swimsuit to see what was underneath.

Jim came up with the idea for Helaina's "big" gift this year.  He thought a karaoke machine would be perfect for our little singer who belts out a tune wherever and whenever (she'll actually sing while she's on the potty).  Loves holding a microphone and hearing the sound of her own voice.  It's a pink Hellow Kitty machine, of course.  When she opened the gift she announced "Now I can rock the house!"  Lucky us.

 For some reason, Helaina likes rubys now.  So of course, Daddy got her ruby red earrings and I got a pair to match, too.  She's been obsessed with jewelry lately (too bad for Jim).  You can see the 3 rings she's wearing on one hand.  Santa brought them to her and she loves them.

 Jim surprised Helaina with tickets to Yo Gabba Gabba Live.  If you've got young kids, you know all about Muno, Fufa, Tootie, Plex and Brobie.  Love the look on her face when she finally found the name of the show on the tickets and realized what they were for.

Later Christmas day out at Aunt Barb's house.  More gifts, excitement and madness.

Sweet little feefee with her cuddly pillow pet we gave her.

 On New Year's Eve day Jim took Helaina to the "Happy Zoo Year" party at the zoo (while I stayed home and continued to organize the chaos).  We bought a zoo membership this year and really have taken advantage of it.

At noon they had a disco ball drop ...

... followed by a sparkling apple juice toast.

One of the tigers happened to be up close to the glass.  Always a nice surprise to get the close up look at them.  I'm always impressed by how huge their paws are.

 

The lions trying to stay warm in their den, surrounded by mountains of snow (which will probably all melt this weekend with the 50+degree weather that is predicted).

Funny Helaina
Helaina loves board games and she got Party Monopoly Junior from Uncle Jack.  It was her first time playing any sort of Monopoly and she loves it (of course she does - it involves money).  Jim was playing Monopoly with Helaina at the kitchen table and I had to run out on an errand.  They were on the second game and Jim was tired of playing so he said to Helaina "Why don't you go to Rite Aid with Mommy?"  Helaina's response:  "Dad, you're just saying that to get me out of your hair."  How perceptive of her!!

Helaina is a gassy little gal, if you get my drift.  Let's just say that she "toots" a lot - more than normal we would say.  Doesn't seem to bother her (just the people around her).  At least she always says "excuse me" when she passes gas.  Helaina also likes hard boiled eggs.  She had one for a snack one afternoon.  That night after dinner, right at the kitchen table, she let out a big toot and immediately announced (while waving her hand in front of her nose) "Yewww!  Hard boiled egg toots are the worst!!!"   Cracked us up.

Helaina was looking through a Disney brochure and she came upon this Cinderella bed.  I was in the kitchen and she came running in up to me, all excited to show me what she found.  "Look, Mom. A Cinderella bed."  I said "Wow, how beautiful.  And it fits over the entire bed."  Her response:  "Yah.  I bet that costs a fortune - and tax too!"   And tax too?  Where does she get this stuff from?  Just proves that kids are always listening in on adult conversations even when you think they aren't.