We hosted some folks for Christmas Eve. It was a bit of a Moving Day reunion actually. So nice to be in our new house in time for the holidays! There are still a few boxes yet to be unpacking and I’ll be darned if my glassybaby candle holders weren’t in the very last of the boxes waiting to be unpacked. I really didn’t think we could host a holiday dinner party without them, but somehow we managed. 

We are having a great time starting new traditions for our family and for Lake. 

So far our neighborhood has heralded many delightful surprises with near daily revealings. Our neighbors introduced themselves last weekend and it turns out we struck neighbor gold. We could not have asked for a nicer family, except maybe if they had a son Lake’s age. Then presto, the very day after meeting them, their son was born. Now, at one week old, Peter is a promising young playmate. We have already bumped into him out cruising the neighborhood, hanging with his family out in front of the local coffee shop. And there are more great neighbors too. And even more red headed boys! What fortune! New house, new neighborhood, new neighbors, new friends new traditions; some Christmas!

My family has a bit of a tradition for a holiday walk before dinner, any holiday will do. So this Christmas Eve, although it was cold and rapidly becoming dark, we bundled up Lake and set out towards the forested ravine of Ravenna Park just a few blocks north of us. We walked all the way through the ravine and then it was becoming darker so we headed back home by way of Ravenna Boulevard. In the process of our homeward bound predinner perambulation we discovered we live very close to Candy Cane Lane. I was perfectly delighted by the surprise!

Some Christmas Eve! We are already looking forward to next years’ festivities to share with family, friends and Lake! Candy Cane Lane will surely become one of Lake’s fond memories of our Christmas Eve traditions. 

Peek…

…a boo!

Good morning Lake-face, and friends! Welcome to a perfect day! Enjoy ❤

Lake is getting more and more interested in exploring our food. Last night he got a basilica stalk from Daddy. He gripped that thing so tightly. It stayed in his hand and he chewed on it throughout the second half of our dinner. 

First half he was showing strong interest in the pho bowl, sucking on the side and gazing longingly into the depths of the broth. Lake, I know just how you feel little man. Pho mesmerizes me too… I love it on a cold night. 

He’s Pho Than Brothers newest fan!

Mondays I work late so Lake was asleep when I got home at 2030. I had the ongoing Monday evening dilemma of what to do. Wake Lake up for a late dinner or get woken up in the night for Lake’s “midnight snack?” 

He was so sweetly fast asleep, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t wake him up. But then time passed and my milk ducts had been all the while productive. It got to the point where I didn’t have a choice. I woke up at 0200 with super full milkies. Full and hard and uncomfortable. Since Lake is still getting 90% of his nutrition from breast feeding (he eats some banana or applesauce snacks during the week at Bright Horizons) and I still haven’t been pumping, it’s up to the both of us. We are in it together. I went looking for my baby. I picked him up out of his sweet sleep for a “dream feed”. He stayed asleep but diligently suckled away for an hour. Sweet dreams, happy waking. He was very happy in the morning, waking up on a tank half full instead of empty!

Lake says, 

Hello, Happy Monday!

Now let’s get ready for our misty walk to the shuttle stop!

Let’s stop off at the flat and see the nice work Nana and Grandpa have done:

Anyone know of a quality tenant looking to move beginning of January? This super cozy, lovely, and exceptionally convenient flat is for lease January 1st by a nice family. Contact us for details!

Lake prefers to sleep just barely peeking out from under his blankets with his animal guardians on standby. He pulls the cozy mass of woolly blankets up to, and sometimes over, his head. At Bright Horizons, per government regulations, there is nothing allowed in the napping cribs besides a pacifier, which Lake doesn’t use, so he turns over onto his tummy to cozy his face into the jersey sheet. At home, however, where he is free to choose his own path, he really piles it on. This is my daily delightful Good Morning picture:

Lake and I, we cherish our time at home! During the work week it is confined lately to the few dark hours of mornings and evenings. Such sweet evenings with my baby! We have a good time together. As good of a time as I could possibly imagine. 

And then… Daddy comes home. It blows my mind. They are quite the pair! I’ve never heard Lake giggle so much as when Daddy comes home and starts making faces and playing with him. 

Domestic Bliss

Tonight we came home to an empty house. Well, save the cats racing around. Michael is working late tonight and I think I’m having empty nest syndrome. I’m remembering yesterday and our last night of fun fondly, before Nana left Base Camp. We played all evening together with Nana until Daddy got home, and then we played and giggled so much with Daddy. Lake slept soundly all the the way through until morning. Missing Nana already. Come back and bring Papa too!

It’s like a dream, a good dream, having Nana and Grandpa staying with us in our new home. They helped us move in with invaluable resources of strength, generosity and mad skills. Nana stayed on to continue working on moving projects and easing our transition. We hope they will spend increasingly more and more time with us here over the years. In their honor we named our MIL AUD: Base Camp. 

This morning I took Lake in to spend some waking time with Nana while I showered. Ahhh, cherishing the moment of a shower made possible today. I reflected again on how lucky we are to have family in the house. So enriching for everyone!

Today Nana is leaving to go off on her periodic adventures. The mountains are calling here for a hike at Mt. Rainier. We will surely miss you. I’ve tasked Lake with becoming even more irresistible and winning while you’re away. Come back soon and stay long! We love and appreciate you Nana and Grandpa!

Lake woke up an hour before my alarm was set to go off this morning. My first thought was

Arrgh, an hour of sleep lost. 

He vomited on the bed and knowing there was insufficient mattress cover I ungracefully swore. Even though it felt a bit like the middle of the night, dawn was creeping toward us with forgiving arms. Michael graciously offered to make me a coffee. 

Something changed. As I started to wake up with the day, I was overwhelmed with joy. We were free to spend an extra hour together. Lake was in a sweet and playful mood after his morning milkies. Michael was home and the three of us had a beautiful time of snuggles and giggles. It was a precious golden hour.