Determined

Check the time stamp. Yup, this one is determined to see her first ball drop in real time...



This gives a whole new meaning to "countdown."

Happy New Year 2010!

PS - No, I didn't forget Christmas. I've got lots of footage which I will post. We are still recovering from having to cancel our trip to Chicago because of the snow! Happy new year to all.

Holiday Card Rejects

This is about all I've got at the moment...but the holidays will get my sorry picture taking a** back into shape. No voting please because I am already a little paranoid that we made the wrong choice...oh well. Let's just agree that they are all perfect. Happy Holidays everyone!

NYC, what is it about you?

P and I enjoyed a great mommy/pippi day in New York today. It was crowded but gorgeous. The highlight for Penelope (and the low point for me) was the numerous photo ops. It seems in the spirit of the holiday that the homeless are dressing up in costume. A good ploy. It was a bit shocking how agressive Elmo and friends were after these picture were shot...

Cookies, a tradition.

Earlier this week we got a letter home from Penelope's school asking us to share what we traditionally eat at the holidays and to make it for a holiday celebration at school. This kind of sent me into a panic. It's not that we don't have traditions - we have many - but at Christmas we don't really have a traditional meal or food. In Z's family, they make sugar cakes and deliver them early Christmas morning. In my family, we all celebrate my Christmas Eve birthday with chocolate and champagne and poetry, but that isn't exactly something Penelope can call her own. I was feeling the pressure, until today.

Every year my mom has a cookie exchange party - bring 3 dozen, leave with 3 dozen. Every year we miss it (but we usually reap the benefits over the holiday.) This year my mom graciously made a small tweak to her annual fete - she added kids - a lot of them! It originally started as Grandmothers, Moms and Daughters. A "small leak" at school widened the circle just a bit.

Cookies + Children + Fun. I think we have found our tradition. There will definitely be more of these in the future and at the holiday celebration at school - they can expect COOKIES!

Take a look.

No party that involves kids is successful without an activity. Early this morning, Z and I constructed graham cracker houses. For the kids to decorate. Martha Stewart was encouraging but take it from me, it was not as simple as it looks.



Still, the project and the final products were great (and much sugar was consumed in the process.)







One friend came dressed almost the same as Penelope - that was funny.



Check out the array of cookies - it was impressive.



I discovered the joy of cake pops. Bakerella can just move on over. Are these cute or what?





It was a great afternoon and we feel lucky that all of us - Penelope included - already have such lovely and creative friends in Princeton. Let the tradition continue!

5-year-old stats (a bit late)

47 lbs! ( no wonder I can't pick her up anymore. (85%)
3'10 inches - close to 4 ft. Wow! (95%)

Look who this 5-year-old just happened to run into today...really, just walking downtown.

Happy Hannukah.